Using enzymes in the industry - Advantages and disadvantages table in GCSE Biology

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Created by: katie_kennedy
Created on: 02-06-16 12:28

Using enzymes in the industry

Advantages

They are specific so they only catalyse the reaction you want them to
Using lower temperatures and pressures means a lower cost as it saves energy
Enzymes work for a long time so after the initial cost of buying them you can continually use them
They are biodegradable and therefore cause less environmental pollution

Disadvantages

Some people can develop allergies to the enzymes (e.g. biological washing powders)
Enzymes can be denatured by even a small increase in temperature. They are also susceptible to poisons and changes in pH. This means the conditions they work in must be tightly controlled
Enzymes can be expensive to produce
Contamination of the enzyme with other substances can affect the reaction

Evaluation

As long as the conditions are tightly controlled, using enzymes in the industry can speed up many reactions and work for a long time after you buy them. This means using enzymes in the industry can be good as long as the conditions are right.

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