Residuos de curtiembre y alternativas de aprovechamiento: Una revisión con enfoque bibliométrico

This research addresses alternatives for utilizing solid waste produced in the leather industry, focusing on the circular economy and sustainability. Through a comprehensive review of scientific literature and bibliometric analysis, a significant increase in scientific production was identified between 2011 and 2024, especially in the area of waste management and recovery, which accounts for 36% of the articles analyzed. India leads the publication rankings in volume and impact, due to its focus on solving critical problems of global interest, while Brazil stands out for the high average citation rate of its research. Co-occurrence mapping identified three clusters, focusing on the biochemical processes and properties of leather, the impact of waste, and effluent treatment. The collagen and fat extracted from skin trimmings and hides through hydrolysis and assisted extraction processes are used to obtain biofuels, soaps, and hydrogels. Tanners, keratin, absorbents, compost, and biochar can also be obtained from the other solid waste generated in tanneries. This study suggests that future research should focus on the valorization of tannery waste with applications in biomedicine and the food industry, such as biofilms, tissue matrices, and edible coatings, as well as in environmental technologies based on biosorbents, all within a framework of sustainability and the circular economy.