Near real-time inhibitive assay for heavy metals using achromopeptidase

作者：Shukor Mohd Yunus^*; Anuar Norhaizuran; Halmi Mohd Izuan Effendi; Masdor Noor Azlina

来源：Indian Journal of Biotechnology, 2014, 13(3): 398-403.

• Achromopeptidase
• heavy metals
• inhibitive assay method
• near-real-time
• serine protease

Heavy metals pollution has become a great threat to the world. Therefore, a simple and raid method is needed to determine the presence of heavy metals in the environment. A near-real-time heavy metal assay that could be completed in less than 1 h has been developed using achromopeptidase, a protease. This enzyme was assayed using the casein Coomassiedye-binding assay. In the absence of inhibitors, casein will be hydrolyzed and the solution will remain light brown. In the presence of heavy metals, the hydrolysis of casein was inhibited and the solution becomes blue. The LOD (limits of detection) for zinc, mercury, cadmium, copper, chromium and lead were 0.124 +/- 0.03, 0.12 +/- 0.02, 0.213 +/- 0.078, 0.442 +/- 0.119, 0.478 +/- 0.127 and 2.24 +/- 0.842 mg/L, respectively. Comparison with other established assays, such as, immobilized urease, Microtox (TM), Daphnia magna, rainbow trout, papain, bromelain and trypsin showed similar sensitivity towards toxic heavy metals. The results of the present study show that this assay is suitable as a rapid preliminary screening method for detection of heavy metals in the environment.

• 出版日期2014-7