Short-term Hide Preservation with Acid and Salt

A hide preservation method based on salt and formic or sulfuric acid has been developed. This method allows 74% salt savings compared to the salt consumption in the conventional salting system. World-wide such savings would involve approximately 3 million tons of salt. This salt is now eliminated as contaminated solid waste or dissolved in residual waters. The change in the preservation system cuts the expenses by at least 48%. Results show that the new method is effective for short-term preservations (1 month) as leathers of equal or superior quality are obtained. This method may also be used in longer term preservations as long as the elongation and the tensile strength requirements are not a priority in the final article.