Abstract

This work concerns the influence of peracetic acid (CH3COOOH) on the removal of calcium compounds and the properties of pelt in deliming. The influence of process conditions such as concentration of peracetic acid, pH of peracetic acid solution, temperature and duration of the process on the removal of calcium, swelling, the amount of collagen and non-collagen proteins was also studied.

It was established that treatment of limed pelt using 0.75% peracetic acid (pH of solution 4-4.5) led to a greater de-swelling property and a more quanitative removal of calcium from pelt compared with ammonium sulphate. The effects on the pelt are no stronger than during conventional ammonium sulphate deliming. IR-spectroscopy, DSC and TG analyses prove that treatment by peracetic acid does not affect the supermolecular structure of pelt. The use of peracetic acid entirely eliminates the emission of H2S.