Enzyme activities are often monitored because they give researchers a deeper understanding of industrial and biomedical reactions and spectrometry is one of the most common methods used to monitor enzyme activity. It is an effective and accurate method that allows real-time analysis of reactions and their byproducts. This blog will outline how dissolved species analysis helps to study enzyme activity.
What is Dissolved Species Analysis?
Dissolved species analysis involves taking direct samples of gases dissolved in liquids or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) via membrane inlet mass spectrometry (MIMS). The samples taken can be from gels, liquids, and soils and help scientists conduct real-time analysis on aspects such as chemical reactions, water quality, enzyme activity, and much more.
Using MIMS, the dissolved gas species of interest can be separated from a liquid sample and further analyzed to identify what it is and how much is present. MIMS offers quick, real-time analysis of dissolved species and their reactions in aqueous media with minimal sample preparation. It is a technique used in a laboratory or field, making it versatile and suitable for numerous applications.
How is Enzyme Activity Studied with Dissolved Species Analysis?
Enzyme kinetics studies enzyme reactions and is important for many fields. It focuses on reaction rate, influencing factors, and how enzymes bind to a substrate to form a product. Enzymes are primarily proteins that help speed up chemical reactions in living organisms; without them, these reactions wouldn’t occur quickly enough, if at all, to sustain life.
Dissolved species analysis directly samples substances within a liquid solution by using membrane inlet mass spectrometry. MIMS can identify and measure catalytic reactions, and is used to monitor cellular processes in which gaseous compounds (CO2, H2, or O2) are present. Characterising a reaction is commonly done by measuring CO2 production and O2 consumption, and MIMS helps researchers identify what caused it.
Dissolved Species Analysis with Hiden Analytical
Hiden Analytical provides real-time gas analysers suitable for liquids in various applications and environments. Aside from enzyme reactions, they are also used in areas such as groundwater studies, wastewater analysis, and environmental research.
For enzyme activity monitoring, we currently have two ideal solutions on the market. The Hiden HPR-40 DSA is a dissolved species analyser that can be mounted in a laboratory or fitted into a mobile case for field analysis. Additionally, the pQA portable quadrupole analyser is a mass spectrometer that can be used with interchangeable sampling inlets to suit your application.
Contact us today if you require support with dissolved species analysis or would like to know more about our products.
References
- Lewis, T, and Stone, W. 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554481/
- Burlacot, A., Burlacot, F., Peltier, G. and Li-Beisson, Y. 2020. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2020.01302/full
