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Updated: Jun 9, 2026
Direct Detection of the Acetate-forming Activity of the Enzyme Acetate Kinase
Published on: December 19, 2011
Selective peracetic acid determination in the presence of hydrogen peroxide using a label free enzymatic method based
Javier Galbán1, Vanesa Sanz, Susana de Marcos
1Analytical Chemistry Department, Analytical Biosensor Group (GBA), Faculty of Sciences, Aragón Institute of Nanoscience (INA), University of Zaragoza, 50006 Zaragoza, Spain. jgalban@unizar.es
Abstract:
Peracetic acid (PAA) is selectively determined in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) by using the self-indicating UV-Vis molecular absorption properties of catalase. The PAA reacts with the protein giving an intermediate (Cat-I) which is reduced back by the amino acid core surrounding the heme group. Since the original form of the enzyme and the Cat-I have different UV-Vis absorption properties, the absorbance changes can be used for PAA determination. The H(2)O(2)/catalase reaction is extremely fast so that neither Cat-I compound nor kinetic interferences are observed. The method permits PAA determination in the 5 × 10(-7) to 1.5 × 10(-5) M range, the reproducibility being between 1% and 10%. Using this method, PAA has been successfully determined in water samples treated with commercial PAA/H(2)O(2) biocides. A theoretical study has also been carried out for obtaining a mathematical model able to analytically describe the process.
