Aproveitamento de farelo de couro wet-white para a produção de colágeno hidrolisado visando a sua aplicação como fertilizante

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the extraction of collagen from zeolite-tanned leather bran (wet-white) using alkaline and acid hydrolysis. The methodology included experiments to compare the efficiency of the two routes in preserving nitrogen and organic carbon. Alkaline hydrolysis showed better results, with 7.30% nitrogen and 19.70% organic carbon, compared to acid hydrolysis, which achieved 6.90% and 19.40%, respectively. Acid hydrolysis generated more precipitates, reducing collagen recovery. Although alkaline hydrolysis was effective, the obtained collagen had relatively low levels of nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium, requiring supplementation to be used as fertilizer. The economic comparison of the hydrolysis routes reveals that alkaline hydrolysis has a lower cost for collagen production, making it a more viable option for practical applications. It is concluded that alkaline hydrolysis stands out as a sustainable and promising alternative but requires additional improvements to enhance its efficiency and economic viability.