Abstract

To sterilise calf and lambskins, not less than 2-5 Mrad were required. Irradiated calfskins, sealed in bags, remained satisfactory for three and six months. Lambskins stored 12 months, were less satisfactory, but not so as to result in appreciably poorer quality leather (semi-chrome clothing). Hair may be loosened by irradia tion. Shrinkage temperature was lowered but did not fall further on storage. It was raised nearly to normal by the increased uptake of chrome tan. The chrome calf from irradiated skin felt firmer than the controls, and there is some evidence that it was a little less strong. Evidence is inconclusive regarding the effect on the leather of salting combined with irradiation. Dry and drysalted skins were irradiated with 0, 2, or 4 Mrad gamma radiation (within which disinfection from anthrax is expected) and then stored 0, 6 or 12 months before they were made into glacé kid. Irradiation lowered the shrinkage temperature of the raw skin and limed pelt, but that of the leather was little different from normal. The finished leather from the skins irradiated with 4 Mrad was damaged. While it is not certain whether at 2 Mrad some fall in strength was due to irradiation, to variation in raw material or to processing, irradiation at this level is probably tolerable, as the leather from the irrradiated skins was of satisfactory strength and feel. No further fall in shrinkage temperature was found after storage of the irradiated skins, and it is probable that storage after irradiation had no further effect on skins or leather. It is also probable that (at the low level or irradiation) variations in processing affected the quality of the leather as much as did the irradiation, and hence, changes in processing might be expected to be able to offset irradiation changes.