Potential Application of Used Coffee Grounds in Le
Potential Application of Used Coffee Grounds in Le
Potential Application of Used Coffee Grounds in Le
ABSTRACT
Safety of environment and human health is an essential requirement of modern industrial techniques. Therefore,
using natural agents in tanning industry may emerge as a trusted method to avoid the chemical contamination
caused by using traditional chromium salts in tanning process. This study aimed to evaluate the hot water extract
of used coffee grounds (UCGs) as a vegetable tanning agent. The collected UCGs were dried and extracted with
hot water at 90 °C for 2h. The phytochemical screening properties of UCGs extract were determined. Sufficient
amount of extract was prepared to be used in leather tanning. Three groups were tanned with UCGs extract solely
at concentrations of 20, 30 or 40% of pelts’ weight, while another three groups were tanned with the same con-
centrations and then re-tanned with 10% of a synthetic tanning agent “Phenol sulfonates”. On tanned leathers,
organoleptic, physical and chemical properties were determined; scanning electron micrographs were depicted to
examine the leather surface and collagen fiber bundles. Analysis of UCGs extract revealed that it has good tanning
properties, as it contained tannins (14.92%), tannins/non tannins ratio (2.06), hide powder (39.57) and Stiasny
number (21.16). The results of leather properties showed that using UCGs extract alone at concentration of 40%
achieved the best results for the vegetable tanning where the tanned leather had higher (P<0.05) tensile strength,
tearing strength and shrinking temperature than that treated with the lower level of 20% UCGs extract. However,
40% of UCGs extract is highly recommended to be used to accomplish the required shrinkage temperature that
should be ≥ 70 °C. UCGs extract could be successfully used as tanning agent in vegetable tanning to produce du-
rable leathers with good fullness; it may be used for different manufacturing products, such as footwear and bags.
Moreover, using a combination of UCGs extract at any of the used concentrations with phenol sulfonates 10% led
to significant improvement in all studied traits as compared with using UCGs extract alone.
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Journal of Ecological Engineering 2023, 24(3), 10–19
currently used in leather tanning [BASF, 2007; froth and before it boils, it is taken off the heat.
Dutta, 2008; Covington, 2009]. Sufficient amount of wet UCGs were supplied
As a result of the continuous need for vegeta- from different cafés in Alexandria city, Egypt.
ble tanning extracts, there is a large gap between The collected UCGs were mixed and dried at
the production and consumption of these extracts, room temperature (25 ± 3 °C) and then stored in
causing an increment in tanning cost production. paper bags until being used.
Therefore, the provision of new plant sources is
important to bridge this gap [Falcão & Araújo, Extraction
2018; Guo, et al., 2020].
Extraction of tannins from plant sources is af- Extraction was performed using water with-
fected by different conditions including solvent out any chemical additives. UCGs were soaked in
type, extraction temperature and the solid to sol- water with constant solid/ liquid ratio (1/10, w/w)
vent ratio [Das, et al., 2020]. Using hot water was for a day. The next day, the extraction was carried
found to be the best method for extracting plant out in a 2-L Pyrex glass reactor with mechanical
agents that are used in leather tanning, due to its stirring and automatic temperature control. UCGs
simplicity, high content of tannins and lower cost were heated and once the temperature reached
of extraction process [Galvez, et al., 1997; Li & 90 °C, extraction began to run for 2 hours. After
Maplesden, 1998; Vázquez, et al., 2008; Guo, et extraction, the warm suspension was vacuum fil-
al., 2020]. tered. The liquid extract was dried in an oven at
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks 60 °C till it is dried.
around the world, and it is consumed in large
quantities, amounting to about 11 million tons Phytochemical screening
annually [FAOSTAT, 2020]. Coffee is usually
prepared by extracting it in hot water to leave Extraction yield
the used coffee grounds (UCGs) as a waste. The
Total extraction yield was calculated as
quantity of UCGs produced is estimated about
weight ratio between the dried extract and the ini-
75% of the weight of the original coffee beans, so
tial dry weight of the raw material.
the quantity produced annually reaches 8 million
tons [Choi & Koh, 2017]. Total phenol and tannin contents
Several studies indicated different organic
components that can be exploited from UCGs for Total phenols and tannin contents were de-
multiple purposes, such as making fertilizers, bio- termined by the Folin–Ciocalteu method using
diesel and sorbent for metal removal instead of a spectrophotometer. The total phenols were es-
dumping into general waste and sent to landfill timated as tannic acid equivalent (TAE), while
[Choi & Koh, 2017; Das, et al., 2020; Tran, et al., Polyvinylpolypyrolidone (PVPP) was used to
2020]. Recently, the water extract of UCGs was bind tannin-phenolics for measurement of tan-
chemically evaluated and gave promising results nins, then non-tannins were determined and tan-
as a leather tanning agent [Mutuku, et al., 2022], nins were calculated [Makkar, 2003].
but unfortunately, the application of UCGs extract
in leather tanning has not been performed yet. Lead (II) acetate test
The current investigation aimed to estimate An amount of 0.5 ml of lead acetate solution
the possibility of using hot water extract from (1%) was added to 10 mg of solid extract and the
UCGs to be used in vegetable leather tanning. formation of precipitate indicates the presence
of tannins and phenolic compounds [Ahmed, et
al., 2018].
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Ferric (III) chloride test
Sample collection
Five mg of the extract was taken and 0.5 ml
Wet UCGs are usually produced after prepar- of 5% ferric (III) chloride was added. The de-
ing coffee using the Turkish method, in which velopment of dark bluish black color indicated
ground coffee beans are mixed with water and the presence of tannin compounds [Ahmed, et
then heated. As soon as the mixture begins to al., 2018].
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Journal of Ecological Engineering 2023, 24(3), 10–19
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Journal of Ecological Engineering 2023, 24(3), 10–19
eijk – the random error assumed to be Total phenol 24.37 g TAE/100g extract*
normally distributed with mean = 0 Tannins 14.92 g TAE/100g extract*
and variance = σ2e. Non-tannins 7.23 g TAE/100g extract*
Figure 1 summarizes all working steps of T/NT ratio 2.06
this study. Hide powder 39.57
Stiasny no 21.16
Ferric III chloride test for
+
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION tannins
Lead(II) acetate test for
+
tannins
Phytochemical screening of used
Sodium hydroxide test for
coffee grounds extract flavonoids
+
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Journal of Ecological Engineering 2023, 24(3), 10–19
Table 3. Physical properties of tanned leathers as affected by tanning material, UCGs extract concentration and
their interaction
Tensile Tearing Shrinkage Water
Property Thickness Density Elongation PWV
strength strength temperature Absorption
Unit mm gm/cm3 Kg/cm2 Kg/cm % o
C mg/cm2/hr %
ASTM D1813 D2346 D2209 D4704 D2211 D6076 D5052 D1815
Effect of tanning material (T)
UCGs extract 1.67 0.80 a
149.89b 47.97 53.49 67.44b 1.68 246.03
UCGs extract +
1.56 0.68 b
233.55 a
49.50 46.90 81.78 a
1.65 249.06
synthetic agent
Significance ns ** * Ns ns ** ns ns
Effect of UCGs extract concentration (C)
20% 1.43b 0.69 123.52b 35.89c 49.81 72.33 1.68 255.47
30% 1.62 ab
0.74 194.52 ab
46.63b 47.65 74.67 1.70 251.51
40% 1.79a 0.79 257.12a 63.70a 53.12 76.83 1.62 235.65
Significance * ns * ** ns ns ns ns
Interaction effect (T × C)
20% 1.38b 0.72bc 100.94c 36.21d 48.85 63.67e 1.71 249.61
UCGs
30% 1.70ab 0.79ab 159.61bc 49.49bc 51.19 68.33d 1.65 256.98
extract
40% 1.93 a
0.88 a
189.11 bc
58.22 b
60.42 70.33 c
1.69 231.50
UCGs 20% 1.47b 0.65c 146.10bc 43.77cd 50.77 81.00a 1.65 261.33
extract
+ 10% 30% 1.54 b
0.69 bc
229.42 b
69.17 a
44.11 81.00 a
1.74 246.05
synthetic
agent 40% 1.66 ab
0.70 bc
325.13 a
35.55 d
45.81 83.33 a
1.56 239.81
Significance * * ** ** ns ** ns ns
Overall of means 1.61 0.74 191.72 48.73 50.19 74.61 1.67 247.55
Standard error of
0.06 0.02 19.59 3.09 1.79 1.82 0.03 3.65
mean
Note: UCGs used coffee grounds. ns – not significant, * significant at p<0.05, ** significant at p<0.01.
Means in the same column with different superscripts letter are significantly different (p<0.05).
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Journal of Ecological Engineering 2023, 24(3), 10–19
Figure 4. Scanning electron micrographs for all tanned leathers groups with used coffee grounds (UCGs);
(A) cross section depicted at x40, (B) grain surface depicted at 100x, and (C) collagen bundles depicted at 150x
With respect to leathers durability properties, significant differences. The effect was significant
the tensile and tearing strengths of tanned leathers (P<0.05) with both thickness and density and
were improved by increasing of the UCGs extract highly significant (P<0.01) with tensile strength,
concentration. This improvement might be re- tearing strength and shrinkage temperature. The
ferred to at least one of two explanations or both; results of shrinkage temperature showed that us-
the first explanation might be due to the increased ing UCGs extract alone in tanning with concen-
crosslinks formed among collagen fibers that trations less than 40% produced the leathers with
strengthened adhesion and cohesion (Figure 4), a shrinkage temperature of less than 70 degrees,
and made them more resistant to loads. The other which is the lowest allowed shrinkage temperature
prospected explanation might be due to the in- in vegetable tanning [BASF, 2007; Dutta, 2008;
verse mathematical relationship between leather Covington, 2009]. Additionally, the other results of
thickness and either tensile or tearing strengths interaction effect showed that increasing the con-
[Abdelsalam, et al., 1998]. centration of UCGs extract improved the quality
The interaction between the effects of tanning of tanned leathers, as well as the properties were
material and UCGs extract concentration showed further enhanced when re-tanning with a synthetic
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Journal of Ecological Engineering 2023, 24(3), 10–19
Table 4. Chemical properties of tanned leathers as affected by tanning material, UCGs extract concentration and
their interaction
Property Moisture Ash pH
Unit % % mmol/L
ASTM D6403 D2617 D2810
Effect of tanning material (T)
UCGs extract 13.21 1.25b 4.43
UCGs extract + synthetic agent 13.19 2.60 a
4.59
Significance ns ** ns
Effect of UCGs extract concentration (C)
20% 13.26 1.53 4.62
30% 13.14 1.95 4.57
40% 13.21 2.29 4.35
Significance ns ns ns
Interaction effect (T × C)
20% 13.27 0.91d 4.30
UCGs extract 30% 13.14 1.33 cd
4.43
40% 13.22 1.52c 4.57
20% 13.24 2.17 b
4.93
UCGs extract +
30% 13.13 2.57ab 4.70
synthetic agent
40% 13.20 3.07 a
4.13
Significance ns ** ns
Overall of means 13.20 1.93 4.51
Standard error of mean 0.04 0.19 0.12
Note: UCGs used coffee grounds. ns – not significant, ** significant at P<0.01. Means in the same column with
different superscripts letter are significantly different (P<0.05).
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