The Utilization of Chitosan as Natural Antibacterial for Vegetable Tanned Leather

Leathers, which are made from natural fibers, can serve as media for microorganisms to grow. The currently used antimicrobial agents or biocides in the leather industry are harmful to human health and the environment. Therefore, the use of antimicrobial agents should be restricted. This study aims at developing eco-friendly biocides that could substitute for toxic chemicals as it will be tested on vegetable-tanned leather. Due to their large surface area and ability to retain moisture, the vegetable tanned leather has a higher possibility of biodeterioration than other types of leathers tanned by mineral tanning agents. In this work, the natural biopolymer of chitosan was chosen for its ability to inhibit the bacterial growth. The results showed that chitosan coating by impregnation method in drum using chitosan/leather ratio of 1% in formic acid for 2 hours is successfully achieved the bacterial growth inhibition.