Beghetto Valentina, Gatto Vanessa, Conca Silvia
Crossing S.r.l., Viale della Repubblica 193/b, 31100 Treviso, Italy.
Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, University Ca' Foscari of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Mestre, Italy.
Materials (Basel). 2025 Aug 11;18(16):3759. doi: 10.3390/ma18163759.
Vegetable tannins (VTs) are natural polyphenolic compounds widely used in leather tanning as sustainable alternatives to chrome-based processes. Traditionally, only a limited number of commercially available tannins, such as mimosa, quebracho, and chestnut, are employed globally, often requiring long-distance transportation with associated environmental and economic costs. This review systematically explores recent advances (2015-2025) in the identification and evaluation of alternative VT sources derived from underutilized plant species in Africa and Asia. Chemical composition, extraction efficiency, and tanning performance, including hydrothermal stability, tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (EB%), and tear strength (Ts), are critically analyzed and compared with conventional agents. Particular focus is given to the tannin/non-tannin ratio (T/N), a key indicator of tanning potential. Promising results were found for extracts from , , , , and . Preliminary environmental assessments (COD, BOD, TDS) also suggest comparable impacts to standard tannins. However, performance variability due to species, plant part, seasonality, and extraction conditions remains a challenge. This review underscores the potential of regionally sourced VTs to support proximity-based economies and reduce the environmental footprint of the leather industry, while highlighting the need for further studies to optimize extraction protocols and scale industrial application.
植物单宁（VTs）是天然多酚化合物，作为铬基鞣制工艺的可持续替代品，被广泛用于皮革鞣制。传统上，全球仅使用有限数量的市售单宁，如含羞草单宁、坚木单宁和栗木单宁，这些单宁通常需要长途运输，会产生相关的环境和经济成本。本综述系统地探讨了2015年至2025年期间，从非洲和亚洲未充分利用的植物物种中鉴定和评估替代VT来源的最新进展。对化学成分、提取效率和鞣制性能进行了严格分析，并与传统试剂进行了比较，鞣制性能包括水热稳定性、拉伸强度（TS）、断裂伸长率（EB%）和撕裂强度（Ts）。特别关注鞣制潜力的关键指标——单宁/非单宁比率（T/N）。从[具体植物1]、[具体植物2]、[具体植物3]、[具体植物4]和[具体植物5]中提取的物质取得了有前景的结果。初步环境评估（化学需氧量、生化需氧量、总溶解固体）也表明其对环境的影响与标准单宁相当。然而，由于物种、植物部位、季节性和提取条件导致的性能变异性仍然是一个挑战。本综述强调了区域来源的VTs在支持近源经济和减少皮革行业环境足迹方面的潜力，同时强调需要进一步研究以优化提取方案并扩大工业应用规模。
