IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v15y2022i4p1273-d745813.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis of Leather Waste

Author

Listed:
  • María González-Lucas

    (Environment and Bioproducts Group, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
    Cátedra de Medio Ambiente, FGUA, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain)

  • Manuel Peinado

    (Environment and Bioproducts Group, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain)

  • Juan J. Vaquero

    (Environment and Bioproducts Group, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
    Center of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology (CQAB), FGUA, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
    Department of Organic Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry, Campus Científico-Tecnológico, Chemical Research Institute “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain)

  • Leonor Nozal

    (Center of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology (CQAB), FGUA, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain)

  • Juan Luis Aguirre

    (Cátedra de Medio Ambiente, FGUA, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain)

  • Sergio González-Egido

    (Environment and Bioproducts Group, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
    Center of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology (CQAB), FGUA, Universidad de Alcalá, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain)

Abstract

The processing of leather into leather is one of the oldest known manufacturing practices. The subsequent refinement of this technique over recent centuries has led to an increase in production, which in turn has led to an increase in waste production. Today, many of the by-products and waste streams from the leather industry have applications in industries such as petfood and in the production of collagen and derivatives, while others, such as waste from trimming and scraping the material, are disposed of in landfills, causing a detrimental environmental impact. For this reason, new alternatives for the treatment of these wastes, such as pyrolysis, are being investigated. The aim of this work is to assess the feasibility of recovering non-recyclable waste from the leather industry by pyrolysis. Waste from the tanning of cowhides with vegetable tannins and tanning with chrome salts, without pre-treatment, were used as raw materials. The operating conditions of the microwave-assisted pyrolysis were analysed by varying the time (15–30 min), the power (600–1000 W) and the dopant (carbon from the pyrolysis itself) in a batch reactor that allows to treat about 30 g of a sample. Three fractions (liquid, solid and gaseous) were obtained from the waste treatment, and the liquid and gaseous fractions were characterised using different analytical techniques. The solid fraction can be used as fuel due to its high calorific value of more than 20 MJ/kg and its low ash content, with the residue containing vegetable tannins giving the best results with a calorific value of up to 28 MJ kg −1 . In addition, the solid fraction can be used as activated carbon after activation treatment, which allows for a more technical use, e.g., in the chemical industry. The liquid fraction contains significant amounts of phenolic groups, such as pyrrole and phenol, as well as other derivatives. Pyridine, aniline, cresol and succinimide, among others, were also found. This makes it a valid source of chemical compounds of high added value in the chemical industry. In addition, the heavy liquid fraction has a good heat capacity of more than 21 MJ/kg, which makes it suitable for use as a fuel. The microwave-assisted pyrolysis process results in the possibility of obtaining products from waste that would otherwise be destined for landfill, thereby obtaining a large number of products and bioproducts with the ability to be reintroduced into the value chain quickly and easily.

Suggested Citation

  • María González-Lucas & Manuel Peinado & Juan J. Vaquero & Leonor Nozal & Juan Luis Aguirre & Sergio González-Egido, 2022. "Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis of Leather Waste," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-14, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:4:p:1273-:d:745813
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/4/1273/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/4/1273/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chiaramonti, David & Oasmaa, Anja & Solantausta, Yrjö, 2007. "Power generation using fast pyrolysis liquids from biomass," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 11(6), pages 1056-1086, August.
    2. Yılmaz, Onur & Cem Kantarli, I. & Yuksel, Mithat & Saglam, Mehmet & Yanik, Jale, 2007. "Conversion of leather wastes to useful products," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 436-448.
    3. Al Arni, Saleh, 2018. "Comparison of slow and fast pyrolysis for converting biomass into fuel," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 197-201.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wajad Ulfat & Ayesha Mohyuddin & Muhammad Amjad & Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan & Beenish Mujahid & Sohail Nadeem & Mohsin Javed & Adnan Amjad & Abdul Qayyum Ashraf & Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman & Sadaful H, 2023. "Reuse of Buffing Dust-Laden Tanning Waste Hybridized with Poly- Styrene for Fabrication of Thermal Insulation Materials," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-12, January.
    2. Lee, Seokhwan & Woo, Sang Hee & Kim, Yongrae & Choi, Young & Kang, Kernyong, 2020. "Combustion and emission characteristics of a diesel-powered generator running with N-butanol/coffee ground pyrolysis oil/diesel blended fuel," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    3. José Juan Alvarado-Flores & Jorge Víctor Alcaraz-Vera & María Liliana Ávalos-Rodríguez & Erandini Guzmán-Mejía & José Guadalupe Rutiaga-Quiñones & Luís Fernando Pintor-Ibarra & Santiago José Guevara-M, 2024. "Thermochemical Production of Hydrogen from Biomass: Pyrolysis and Gasification," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-21, January.
    4. Antoniou, N. & Stavropoulos, G. & Zabaniotou, A., 2014. "Activation of end of life tyres pyrolytic char for enhancing viability of pyrolysis – Critical review, analysis and recommendations for a hybrid dual system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 1053-1073.
    5. Meng, Xiangmei & de Jong, Wiebren & Kudra, Tadeusz, 2016. "A state-of-the-art review of pulse combustion: Principles, modeling, applications and R&D issues," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 73-114.
    6. Zhang, Zhikun & Zhu, Zongyuan & Shen, Boxiong & Liu, Lina, 2019. "Insights into biochar and hydrochar production and applications: A review," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 581-598.
    7. Taghizadeh-Alisaraei, Ahmad & Assar, Hossein Alizadeh & Ghobadian, Barat & Motevali, Ali, 2017. "Potential of biofuel production from pistachio waste in Iran," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 510-522.
    8. Fan, Jiqing & Kalnes, Tom N. & Alward, Matthew & Klinger, Jordan & Sadehvandi, Adam & Shonnard, David R., 2011. "Life cycle assessment of electricity generation using fast pyrolysis bio-oil," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 632-641.
    9. Yang, S.I. & Hsu, T.C. & Wu, C.Y. & Chen, K.H. & Hsu, Y.L. & Li, Y.H., 2014. "Application of biomass fast pyrolysis part II: The effects that bio-pyrolysis oil has on the performance of diesel engines," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 172-180.
    10. Zhao, Ming & Memon, Muhammad Zaki & Ji, Guozhao & Yang, Xiaoxiao & Vuppaladadiyam, Arun K. & Song, Yinqiang & Raheem, Abdul & Li, Jinhui & Wang, Wei & Zhou, Hui, 2020. "Alkali metal bifunctional catalyst-sorbents enabled biomass pyrolysis for enhanced hydrogen production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 168-175.
    11. Gawlik, Bernd Manfred & Sobiecka, Elzbieta & Vaccaro, Stefano & Ciceri, Giovanni, 2007. "Quality management organisation, validation of standards, developments and inquiries for solid-recovered fuels--An overview on the QUOVADIS-Project," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 6293-6298, December.
    12. Li, Mengzhu & Wei, Junnan & Yan, Guihua & Liu, Huai & Tang, Xing & Sun, Yong & Zeng, Xianhai & Lei, Tingzhou & Lin, Lu, 2020. "Cascade conversion of furfural to fuel bioadditive ethyl levulinate over bifunctional zirconium-based catalysts," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(P1), pages 916-923.
    13. Gupta, Shubhi & Gupta, Goutam Kishore & Mondal, Monoj Kumar, 2019. "Slow pyrolysis of chemically treated walnut shell for valuable products: Effect of process parameters and in-depth product analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 665-676.
    14. Fox, James A. & Stacey, Neil T., 2019. "Process targeting: An energy based comparison of waste plastic processing technologies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 273-283.
    15. Van de Beld, Bert & Holle, Elmar & Florijn, Jan, 2013. "The use of pyrolysis oil and pyrolysis oil derived fuels in diesel engines for CHP applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 190-197.
    16. Andrew N. Amenaghawon & Chinedu L. Anyalewechi & Charity O. Okieimen & Heri Septya Kusuma, 2021. "Biomass pyrolysis technologies for value-added products: a state-of-the-art review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(10), pages 14324-14378, October.
    17. Lech Nowicki & Dorota Siuta & Maciej Markowski, 2020. "Pyrolysis of Rapeseed Oil Press Cake and Steam Gasification of Solid Residues," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-12, August.
    18. Perkins, Greg & Bhaskar, Thallada & Konarova, Muxina, 2018. "Process development status of fast pyrolysis technologies for the manufacture of renewable transport fuels from biomass," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 292-315.
    19. Sulaiman, F. & Abdullah, N., 2011. "Optimum conditions for maximising pyrolysis liquids of oil palm empty fruit bunches," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 2352-2359.
    20. Chiaramonti, David & Rizzo, Andrea Maria & Spadi, Adriano & Prussi, Matteo & Riccio, Giovanni & Martelli, Francesco, 2013. "Exhaust emissions from liquid fuel micro gas turbine fed with diesel oil, biodiesel and vegetable oil," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 349-356.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:4:p:1273-:d:745813. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.