Efficacy of Catechol Assignment PDF
Added on 2021-04-17
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Running head: EFFICACY OF CATECHOL OXIDASE ON POTATOES 1 Efficacy of Catechol Oxidase on Potatoes at Different TemperaturesNameInstitutional Affiliation
EFFICACY OF CATECHOL OXIDASE ON POTATOES 2Efficacy of catechol oxidase on potatoes at different temperaturesAbstractCatechol oxidase is an enzyme that catalyzes the reaction between oxygen and catechol to produce benzoquinone and water. Catechol is a colorless compound of phenol found in plant cells and is released by broken cells but after action of catechol oxidase is converted to benzoquinone, a pigmented product[ CITATION Art56 \l 1033 ]. This is the pigment responsible for the darkening of cut surfaces of fruits and vegetables on exposure to air. Action of catechol oxidase, as with other enzymatic activity, is influenced by factors like temperature, pH, and specific chemical, which are called inhibitors, which might change its three-dimensional shape[ CITATION Che95 \l 1033 ]. Catechol oxidase is also found in plants but under normal conditions, these two compounds do not come into contact with each other.The purpose of this experiment is to discuss the effect of varying temperature on action of catechol oxidase and describe the general properties of enzymes. The presence of the enzyme was expected to cause a change in color from transparent to brown[ CITATION Man12 \l 1033 ]. In the experiment, three different test tubes with similar concentrations of distilled water and catechol oxidase were prepared, with two of them being placed in water baths to cause a variancein temperature, and equal amounts of potato extract being added to them. This was to test the action of the enzyme at different temperatures by checking the rate at which the solution changedcolor to brown. Absorptivity of the six resultant liquids was measured to determine intensity of the brown color. Highest reactions are expected to be at between 32 and 37°.IntroductionAn enzyme is an organic compound that accelerates the rate of reactions for specific substrates without itself being consumed, with a power to chemically recognize and even change
EFFICACY OF CATECHOL OXIDASE ON POTATOES 3specific reactants[ CITATION Nag01 \l 1033 ]. Enzymes, however do not have control over the direction of the reaction taking place. Most are partially or completely composed of protein, and they catalyze reactions by lowering the activation energy at which reactions occur and offering favorable microclimates for the reaction to occur[ CITATION Che95 \l 1033 ]. Catechol oxidase is anexample of an enzyme.Catechol oxidases are plant enzymes containing a dinuclear copper center, also called polyphenol oxidases. Any fruits and vegetables which turn brown on exposure to air contain this enzyme. When catechol is exposed after rupturing of a plant cell, a wound response mechanism of the plant catalyzes oxidation of ortho diphenols to their corresponding ortho-quinones and the reduction of oxygen to water[ CITATION Dua99 \l 1033 ]. The colorless diphenol molecules change into colored quinine molecules which cross to for complex molecules called melanins. This is theobserved brown color. The reaction occurs according to the equation below; Catechol +1/2 O2 ====== benzoquinone + H2OThis wound response mechanism is advantageous. This enzyme is introduced to plucked ripe tea leaves to make the black tea that is the final product. According to Eicken et al (1998), he states that it is important for the more poisonous and soluble ortho diphenols to be converted to the less potent and insoluble ortho quinones. Polyphenol oxidases (PPOs) have therefore been proposed as a means of bioremediation. This includes processes like removal of phenolic contaminants, enzymatic waste water treatment, and industrial waste treatment. Phenols are common pollutants in industrial waste by companies like agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, dye factories and wood pulp industries, and it is very important that they be removed from waste[ CITATION Góm02 \l 1033 ]. Though a convincing description of the use of this method to get
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