Fat eating
Fettfraß describes a pattern of damage in specimens from zoological collections.
properties
Eating fat damages the fur of animals through the fat residues in the fur that decompose into fatty acids to such an extent that their collagen fibers are decomposed by acid-catalyzed hydrolysis . As a result, the skins become brittle and eventually disintegrate. In particular, faulty tanning causes this problem when too much fat remains in the leather . In contrast to mineral oil or silicone oil- based lubricants, biological fats can become rancid , which among other things leads to the formation of fatty acids. Taxidermists can repair this damage by extracting the fats with organic solvents . Renewed greasing with synthetic leather grease follows.
More damage to leather, hides and skins
- Mold growth and fungal attack
- Pest infestation, often by the bacon beetle
- Red decay : Leather easily adsorbs sulfur dioxide , which reacts in connection with air humidity to form sulphurous acid , which through acid-catalyzed hydrolysis leads to discoloration and the breakdown of collagen
Web links
- www.geller-grimm.dem, Museum Wiesbaden, Natural History Collections: The Tigers in the Museum Wiesbaden . Retrieved June 17, 2015.