Scientists develop nanozyme mimetic that degrades effluents under sunlight

Scientists at the Materials Research Center (MRC), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), have developed a new type of enzyme mimetic that can degrade toxic chemicals in industrial wastewater effectively in the presence of sunlight.

Enzymes are proteins that catalyze a majority of biological reactions in living systems. However, the practical use of natural enzymes is greatly hindered by certain inherent limitations. These limitations include sensitivity to denaturation (breakdown/damage), complex production procedures, high costs, and difficulties in recycling, says Subinoy Rana, Assistant Professor at MRC and corresponding author of the paper published in  Nanoscale .

Mass producing these enzymes is an expensive and time-consuming process. For example, laccase, a natural enzyme used for degrading phenols in industries, is extracted from a fungus called white rot, but the amount of enzyme produced depends on how much of the fungus is available at a given time. "It's a long process and it's difficult to make them in more than milligram amounts," says Rana. Another problem is storage—most of the natural enzymes are temperature-sensitive and require storage at cooler temperatures, often as low as –20°C.

Nano-sized enzyme mimetics or "nanozymes" manufactured in the lab can mimic such natural enzymes and overcome these practical challenges.

In the current study, the IISc team synthesized a platinum-containing nanozyme called NanoPtA, which can be converted into powder form for industrial use. It mimics the function of oxidases—natural enzymes that remove hydrogen from substrates in the presence of oxygen to give water. This nanozyme is not only highly specific in breaking down certain substrates but is also robust because it can withstand a range of pH and temperature changes.

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Taxonomy

• Effluent
• Effluent Water