Abstract

Leather deterioration is a topic of interest to leather scientists, producers and users. Test methods associated with leather longevity are valuable for any leathers where long-term durability is important. The ʻIntroductionʼ of this paper presents an historical review of research concerning the mechanisms involved in leather deterioration, with an emphasis on deterioration connected to atmospheric pollutants. Also presented are the results of experiments evaluating the effects of nitrogen dioxide exposures to test leathers and possible applications using such exposures in the testing of leathers for long-term use.