AN INVESTIGATION OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF IMPROVED INDIGENOUS SUDANESE TANNINS MATERIALS

Improved indigenous tanning material was produced by blending 80% Acacia nilotica pods with 20% Azadirachta indica barks' liquors and subsequently spray-drying the liquid mixture. Various physico-chemical properties of this material were studied at National Leather Technology Centre (NLTC), Industrial Research and Consultancy Centre (IRCC), Sudan using AOAC (1996) methods. The properties of this material were compared with those of conventional indigenous and myrobalan tanning materials. The results showed that the physico-chemical properties of modified indigenous materials are comparable to the myrobalan tanning standard material and better than indigenous tanner in total soluble solids (93%), tannin contents (56%), non-tannins contents (36.7%), tannin/nontannins ratio (1.5) and the pH (4.6). The results also showed that the material has bright and light biscuit colour which is consistent to the Indian Standards and required for industrial usage.