OBTAINING COLLAGEN HYDROLYZATES FROM SECONDARY PRODUCTS OF CHROMETANNED LEATHER

In many tanneries, chrome-tanned leather shavings are still viewed as waste, despite their high collagen content and potential for reuse. This study focused on developing a process to extract collagen hydrolysates from these shavings using alkaline hydrolysis. The lab work involved several phases of testing with NaOH, KOH, and Ca(OH)₂ under different concentrations and temperatures, followed by further purification using barium chloride. The results of the study showed that chromium levels dropped dramatically, and the collagen that remained had strong adhesive properties, measured using standard surface tension and contact angle methods. Early experiments showed swelling issues and filtration delays, which the researchers had to troubleshoot by adjusting hydrolysis time and alkali ratios. But by the final stage, the method proved reliable. The broader takeaway here is that collagen recovery from chrome waste could not be just chemically viable—it could also offer real industrial and environmental value if adopted more widely.