OBJECTIVES

1. Identify the factors influences the reaction of catalase.

2. Analyse the reaction of catalase on different samples.

INTRODUCTION

The enzyme catalase breaks down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.

Catalase

2H2O2 → 2H2O + O2

Hydrogen peroxide is a highly active chemical formed continually as a by-product of chemical

reactions in living cells.It is poisonous and if it were not immediately broken down by the cells,it would
destroy them.Hence,the importance of the enzyme is known.

MATERIALS

 7 test tubes
 Pestle and mortar
 Beaker 250 cm3
 Thermometer
 Bunsen burner
 Hydrogen peroxide
 Liver
 Chicken heart
 Potato

PROCEDURE

1. 2 cm3 hydrogen peroxide solutions are poured into a clean tube.1 cm cube of liver cut and
dropped it into the test tube of hydrogen peroxide.The samples was carefully observed and
recorded what happens.The present of oxygen tested with a splint.

2. A piece of liver with the same size as before was taken and placed it in mortar.The liver grinded
and then the ground liver transferred into a test tube containing the fresh hydrogen
peroxide.The activity of the ground of liver compares with the activity observed for the whole
piece of liver noted.
3. Another piece of liver taken and put it in a beaker of boiling for three minutes.Then the piece of
liver dropped into fresh hydrogen peroxide and find out if the enzyme is still capable it breaking
down the hydrogen peroxide.

4. The experiments was carried out using chicken heart and potato to find out if they contain the
enzyme catalase.

5. The observation in Table 1.1 recorded.

RESULT

TEST TUBE CONTAINING OBSERVATIONS OXYGEN PRESENT

 Wooden splinter lighted

Cube of liver up Present
 Bubbles overflowed the
test tube in fast rate
 ‘Pop’ sound occured
 Wooden splinter lighted
Ground liver up Present
 Bubbles overflowed the
test tube in slow rate
 Faint ‘pop’ sound
occured
 Wooden splinter does
Boiled liver not light up Absent
 No bubbles produced

 Wooden splinter lighted

Cube of heart up Present
 Small amount of foam
produced
 Wooden splinter does
Ground of heart not light up Absent
 Small amount of foam
produced
 Wooden splinter lighted
Cube of potato up Absent
 Less bubble produced

 Wooden splinter does

Ground potato not light up Absent
 Less bubble produced

Table 1.1 : Catalase reaction

QUESTIONS

1. How can you increases the rate of catalase reaction by using the same liver ?

By cut the liver with the smaller size.The smaller size of particles increased the reaction because
smaller particles consumes less energy than the larger ones to break down the
molecules,therefore the reaction would occur faster.The catalase reaction is dependent on the
substrate concentration. If we have an excess of enzyme but not enough substrate, the reaction
will be limited by the substrate availability. Once we add more hydrogen peroxide to the
solution, the reaction rate will increase as more substrate molecules can collide with the
enzyme and forming more product. The result is an increasing amount of foam produced in the
test tube as the amount of H2O2 in the reaction increases.

2. How does temperature affect the catalase reaction ?

As the temperature increases toward the optimum point,hydrogen bonds loosen and making it
easier for catalase to act on hydrogen peroxide molecules.If the temperature below optimum
temperature,the temperature increase kinetic energy of substrate and energy increases.It will
collide more often,rate of reaction will increases until maximum rate of the optimum
temperature.If the temperature increases beyond the optimum temperature,atom enzyme
molecules vibrates violently,breaking the bonds which hold the molecules in their precise
shape.The enzyme denatured and its structure is disrupted.
DISCUSSION

Catalase is an enzyme found in human organs such as the liver,kidneys and heart and is
associated with the organs’ roles of cleansing the body of toxins absorbed from ingested food.The liver
is very important for cleaning up any potentially dangerous substances that we consume. But how does
it do it?With a little help from some complex chemistry. Within the liver, as within every tissue in the
body, many chemical reactions occur. Often these reactions require "help" to happen at a faster speed,
and this can be supplied by enzymes,the tiny types of proteins.In addition,the liver uses specialized
enzymes to help it to break down toxic substances and make them safer for the body process. Liver
contains more of the enzyme catalase, which breaks down hydrogen peroxide. Liver contains more
because it detoxifies substances in the body. A larger amount of catalase lowers the activation energy,
therefore speeds up the rate of reaction.

In the first experiment,we used chicken liver.The cube chicken liver produced foam which
overflowed out of the test tube in just a few second once it made contact with the hydrogen
peroxide.To test the presence of the oxygen,a glowing wooden splinter was inserted into the test
tube.As what we expected,the wooden splinter lighted up.Besides,we can heard ‘pop’ sound when they
make contact with glowing splinter.For the ground liver,the bubbles were produced in a slower rate
than the cube liver.A glowing wooden splinter was inserted and it light up,which means oxygen is
present.Based on the previous research,smaller size of the particles will increases the rate of the
reaction.This is because smaller particles consumes less energy than the larger ones to break down the
molecules,therefore the reaction would occur faster.The larger the size of particles,the rate of reaction
decreased because they reuired more energy to break down the molecules.This prove that an error had
occurred during this experiment.The source of error probably because of the insufficient amount of
hydrogen peroxide in the test tube which slows down the rate of reaction.Next,the boiled liver did not
light up the wooden splinter when it inserted into the test tube.It is because there is no reaction occur
because catalase enzyme in the liver died because it was boiled in a boiling water which is over 60
degree Celcius.In the previous research,the reaction of enzyme should be increase when the
temperature increases,but at 40 degree Celcius,the rate of reaction decreases because the enzymes
would experience denaturation.They are damaged and would not be able to break down hydrogen
peroxide.Therefore,the result is as what we expected.

The second sample is heart.In human heart,it was shown that the heart contains more than 2%
of the catalase found in liver,yet it produces a greater amount of hydrogen peroxide per gram of tissue
than any other organ.In this experiment,when a cube of heart used,little oxygen gas bubbles escaped
and foam created.The oxygen is present but not so much and the glowing wooden splinter also lighted
up dimly.If we compare with the cube of liver,the reaction using heart is slower because liver contain
more catalase than heart.For the ground heart,oxygen gas bubbles escaped and foam created were
more than when the cube of heart used.It showed that size of particles effect the catalase reaction.

Besides,catalase is also found in plants. Potatoes, particularly, contain high amounts of catalase,
which is mysterious because plants do not filter toxins from food. Catalase is involved with
photorespiration, however, which explains its presence, but does not account for its abundance.The
potato contains less of the enzyme catalase, therefore requires more activation energy, slowing down
the rate of reaction.
CONCLUSION

Catalase acts as the catalyzing enzyme in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. Nearly,all living
things possess catalase, including human.This enzyme, like many others, aids in the decomposition of
one substance into another. Catalase decomposes, or breaks down, hydrogen peroxide into water and
oxygen.

REFERENCES

1. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-liver-helping-enzymes/

2. https://www.education.com/science-fair/article/activator/

3. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/exploring-enzymes/