Peroxidase of Brazilian Cerrado grass as an alternative for agro industrial waste treatment

Abstract Decontamination of wastewater continues to be a challenge for society and the scientific community. Despite the availability of various materials for study, enzymes stand out due to their specificity for decomposition and biodegradability for disposal. New sources of enzymes may represent efficient and low-cost alternatives compared to routinely used techniques. In this survey, the peroxidase profile from Echinolaena inflexa fruits was studied for possible applications in the treatment of wastewater. The protein content was found to be 5.33 mg g-1. The optimum reaction conditions were: 50°C, pH 7.5 at 0.1 mol L-1 of phosphate buffer for 15 min. The enzyme was inactivated after 5 min at 94°C and was inhibited when incubated with ascorbic acid at 10 mmol L-1. In tests using phenols and agro industrial waste, the peroxidase was able to oxidase 87.5% of catechol, 67.8% of pyrogallol, 39.1% of resorcinol and still presented 29.1% of the degradation capacity of raw wastewater phenolic compounds. The results showed that the Echinolaena inflexa peroxidase, a new source of enzymes, is a potential alternative to wastewater treatment.