Application of Essential Oils of Thyme as Natural Preservative for Leather Tanning Industry

Abstract

Aim was to investigate the possibility to use the essential oils of thyme as alternative preservatives for chromed leather. The analyses have shown the differences between commercial and pure essential oil of thyme. The major components were: TV1 - β-Cymene (8.64%), γ-Terpinene (9.43%), Thymol (38.53%), Carvacrol (10.11%); TS - β-Cymene (16.53%), γ-Terpinene (22.19%), Thymol (37.89%); TV2 - α-Pinene (14.06%), β-Cymene (10.29%), D-Limonene (11.72%), Thymol (11.01%) and 1,8-Cineole (20.02%). It was determined that differences have influence on antibacterial activity of essential oils. Results have shown that Gram-positive bacteria‟s are more sensitive for thyme essential oil. Pseud. aeruginosa was not sensitive for selected essential oil of thyme action. As a main result of this study, it is concluded that Thymus vulgaris essential oil could be used as preservation agents in leather tanning industry. The received results have shown that leather preserved with 2-(thiocyanomthylthio)benzothiazole (TCMTB) have weaker protection after 4 weeks comparing with the samples treated with essential oil of Thymus vulgaris when amount of used essential oil was not less as 1% l.m. The combination of essential oil and synthetic preservative have shown that bigger amount in mixture must be of essential oil of Thymus vulgaris.