Abstract

Dung cladding presents problems in the processing of hides into leather. Together, cellulose. hemicellulose and lignin comprise 80% of the composition of bovine dung, which reflects the lignocellulose content of vegetable fodder. Dung is attached to the hides by physical entrapment in the hairs forming a 3-dimensional matrix with the hair. Removal of dung from hide pieces was effected by the action of cellulase, xylanase and laccase separately over 20-24 hours. Mixtures of these enzymes removed dung in 6-8 hours demon strating that synergistic activity is more effective than separate enzyme treatments. The preferred enzyme mixture for optimal removal of dung within 8 hours at 25—35°C, at an economic cost, is 5.0 units per ml of cellulase with 1.0 unit per ml of xylanase, under the laboratory experimental conditions. Sodium chloride, up to 3 molar concentration, enhanced enzyme activity by 20% for cellulase and 100% for xylanase.