A METHOD FOR UNHAIRING ANIMAL SKINS OR HIDES VIA A TOTAL LIME AND SULFIDE FREE ENZYMATIC SOLUTION

摘要

The present invention relates to a method for unhairing animal skins or hides via a total lime and sulfides free enzymatic solution said process comprising presoaking skin or hide in water for 2 - 6 hours, pasting enzyme solution of animal or plant origin on the flesh or grain side of the skins/hides and left for 10 - 24 h at a temperature ranging from 10°C to 60°C, removing the soaking liquor, transferring the hides/skins to a bath of water containing 1 to 15% of enzyme for unhairing with or without intermittent shaking maintaining the pH of the bath liquor at 4.5 - 10.0 and the skins/hides are left in this bath for 12 -24 h at ambient temperature and then unhaired for further processing. The total elimination of lime and sulfide in the unhairing process leads to reduced TDS (total dissolved solids), BOD (biological oxygen demand) and COD (chemical oxygen demand) in the effluent without affecting the collagen of the skin/hide or the grain pattern.