Curtición de pieles de tiburón Carcharinus falciformis) para calzado de dama con la utilización de diferentes niveles de sulfato de aluminio

Abstract

The study focused on the tanning of shark skins using different concentrations of aluminum sulfate to determine the optimal level of this concentration and achieve desirable properties in the resulting leather. The research was conducted at the Leather Tanning Laboratory of FCP-ESPOCH, using 30 shark skins obtained from the Santa Elena province as experimental units. The methodology employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), evaluating three levels of aluminum sulfate (7%, 8%, and 9%) with five replications per treatment and an experimental unit size of 2 skins, assessing physical resistances and sensory ratings. Findings indicated that the optimal level of aluminum sulfate varied depending on the property evaluated. For tensile strength, the optimal level was 7%, while for elongation and hardness, it was 8% and 7%, respectively. Other significant findings demonstrated that the aluminum sulfate level also influenced skin fullness, with 9% showing the best results. Also, a 7% aluminum sulfate concentration provided the highest softness, whereas 9% provided the best leather curvature. The economic evaluation indicated better results in tanning with 9% aluminum sulfate, with a cost-benefit ratio of 1.19, indicating a 19% profit. These findings underscore the importance of aluminum sulfate concentration not only in the mechanical properties but also in the sensory characteristics of shark leather. Therefore, tanning with 9% aluminum sulfate is recommended to obtain leather of suitable physical and sensory quality for the final product.