Application of ultrasonic in leather industry

The pollutants emitted by the leather industry contain different chemicals that are used in the leather processing process, resulting in solid waste. Enzymatic treatment can be a useful alternative to chemical treatment in the leather industry. It's also very helpful in terms of environmental safety, plus the enzyme treatment is very low cost and can be done at low temperatures without using additional chemicals. The simultaneous application of ultrasound and enzyme treatment helps to improve enzymatic hydrolysis of tannery waste and results in improved digestion capacity and production of chips and shavings.

Hides are mainly composed of insoluble fibrin, called collagen, which may be degraded by protease action. With the application of ultrasound, the skin's fibrous network is disabled and its speed is reduced. The fibrous web of the skin disappears and the rate at which the protease spreads through the pores of the skin increases. In one study, a neutral protease (Bacillus subtilis) and an alkaline protease (Bacillus licheniformis) were used. The results showed that the protease (alkalinity) of Bacillus licheniformis was almost unaffected by ultrasound. Therefore, it was selected as a raw material for the degradation of solid waste.

The utility of power ultrasound has increased dramatically, especially in industrial applications, and scientists have studied it deeply. It is well known that energy input via ultrasound can significantly increase yield and product quality, and can facilitate product recovery and purification processes in many different industries. Ultrasound technology is a clean and efficient technology widely used in food processing, freezing and preservation. It can also be used to predict the service life of industrial processes and machine parts, as well as the treatment of wastes generated by different industries such as textiles, agriculture and tanneries.