Processing of Used Leather Goods Containing Chromium VI and the Possibility of Detection of Chromium Traces by Raman Spectroscopy

摘要

In this paper, the authors deal with the problem of processing various types of waste generated by leather industry. Special emphasis is given to chrome tanned waste. The agent that makes this waste potentially hazardous is hexavalent chromium. Its compounds can have negative effects on human health and some chromium VI salts are considered carcinogens. The authors present the risks of spontaneous oxidation of trivalent chromium to its hexavalent form in various conditions, as well as an analytical method for detection of small concentrations of both forms of chromium using Raman spectroscopy. From the technological point of view, there are several ways of handling primary leather waste, but no satisfactory technology has been developed so far for the secondary waste (manipulation waste, e.g. leather scraps, and used leather products). In this contribution, a new technology of processing the secondary waste is presented and tested in industrial conditions. Commercial utilization of the products is discussed.