Re: How does the rate of catalase activity change with time?

Hi Priya,

I hope I understand you right: you took these potatoes out of the ground and measured the catalytic activity on the same day, or at least after a short period for the first time - and then after 3, 6, ... days again.

If that is right, the explanation is quite a simple one, and one that can be applied to nearly every reaction with sensitive substances.
If you just put a chemical substance (i.e. actually everything) on the table and wait, you will have an exponential decrease of the concentration of the substance. Why? You have oxygen and moisture in the air, you have UV-light if you don't protect it against light. So every substance that is sensitive against one of those will be destroyed, bonds break (UV-light -> the same what happens to your DNA if you are lying in the sun! :) or you have a reaction with oxygen in the air.

For example Vitamin C, it's sensitive against moisture, oxygen and UV-light, so if you boil your peppers or whatever, don't do it for a long time!

Your catalytic activity varied only by a small amount because your t_1/2, the time after half of the substance is destroyed, is quite large - if you try it with other enzymes, you will find stronger variations.

I hope that was your question! Bye, Andreas