Nanozymes are tiny, engineered substances that mimic the catalytic properties of natural enzymes, and they serve a variety of purposes in biomedicine, chemical engineering, and environmental applications.
Nanozymes are tiny, engineered substances that mimic the catalytic properties of natural enzymes, and they serve a variety of purposes in biomedicine, chemical engineering, and environmental applications. They are typically made from inorganic materials, including metal-based elements, which makes them unsuitable for many purposes due to their toxicity and high production costs.
Organic-based nanozymes partially overcome some of these problems and have the potential for a broader range of applications, including food and agriculture, but they are still in the early stages of development. A new paper from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign provides an overview of the current state of organic nanozymes and their future potential.
“Inorganic nanozymes have only been around since 2007, when researchers discovered that iron oxide nanoparticles could perform catalytic activity similar to natural enzymes like peroxidase. Their usage has rapidly advanced, but they have some major drawbacks. They are made from expensive ingredients, and they require a time-consuming, heavy engineering process for fabrication. They are potentially toxic to humans and the environment, and they aren’t naturally degradable so they cause waste management issues,” said lead author Dong Hoon Lee, a doctoral student in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE), part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and The Grainger College of Engineering at the U. of I.
Read more at University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Image: Dong Hoon Lee (Credit: University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences)
