Aplicación de diferentes niveles de castaño en la curtición de pieles de paiche para marroquinerÍa

Abstract

This research was conducted at the Tannery Laboratory of the Faculty of Animal Sciences at ESPOCH, located on Panamericana Sur avenue, km 1 ½ in Riobamba city, Chimborazo province, Ecuador. It aimed to apply different levels of chestnut (Castanea sativa) in the tanning of paiche skins (Arapaima gigas) to manufacture leather goods. The Methodology included 20 paiche hides (Arapaima gigas) representing three treatments corresponding to different levels of chestnut (Castanea sativa) (12, 14, and 16%) and a control treatment. These experimental units followed a randomized design (CRD). During the transformation into leather, paiche hides came from Sucumbíos province to the research place. After the transformation process, the leather underwent physical and sensory tests showing that there were no significant differences in contrast to numerical analysis, where the best responses reported 14% chestnut, with values of tensile strength (3796.28 N/cm2) and elongation percentage (71.50%). In sensory evaluation, Chesnut tanning of 12% reached softness (5.00 points) and texture (5.00 points). The economic evaluation determined that the highest profitability involved tanning paiche hides with 16% chestnut (1.55 USD), resulting in a 55% profit. In conclusion, the appropriate level of chestnut tanning to improve the physical characteristics of paiche hides is 14% chestnut, yielding strong leather. Meanwhile, the optimal level for producing softer and smoother leather is 12% chestnut, ensuring a high-quality finish. Both levels are suitable for leather goods production.