DEVELOPMENT OF ENZYMATIC PAPER STRIP FOR DETECTION OF HEAVY METAL MERCURY IN WATER

Abstract

This thesis report is based on the research work in the field of application of enzymatic reaction for the detection of mercury in water. My research is mainly focused on the detection of mercury in water as mercury ion is among the common pollutant with ability to affect the environment. For environmental analysis determination of heavy metals gaining an increasing importance. Heavy metals determination by instrumental methods is highly selective and sensitive, but many of them require expensive and specialized equipment and are fairly complicated. Enzymatic methods are characterized by simpler methods, very cheap, simple device and give results very quickly. Metal ions may be act as inhibitor, cofactor or activator of bio-catalysis. Mercury is an inhibitor of horseradish peroxidase and influence the catalytic activity of enzyme. This property of enzyme can be used for determination of mercury concentration in water. The O- dianisidine oxidation catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase is used as an indicator reaction to develop a procedure as a visual test for the determination of mercury concentration in waters sample