Oxygen Assay Articles

In at least one important way, measuring hydrogen peroxide is substantially easier than measuring superoxide. Superoxide is unstable in aqueous solution—its steady state concentration cannot be measured directly. As a result, superoxide “levels” must be determined indirectly. This can be done by either (a) measuring rates of production and removal and then correlating the two,…

Hydrogen peroxide, like superoxide, can react with a variety of targets in the cell, and has been associated with a number of diseases. Aerobic organisms express catalase and peroxidase enzymes to prevent damage by H2O2. Peroxidases—most of which contain a heme at their active site—undergo an enzymatic cycle in which a molecule of peroxide oxidizes…

Overview Superoxide has been implicated in diseases ranging from Alzheimer’s to diabetes. The wide range of pathologies associated with superoxide is the result of its ability to react with a variety of cellular targets, including enzyme active sites, nucleic acids and lipids. Cells protect themselves against superoxide damage by producing superoxide dismutase enzymes (SODs). These…

Oxygen is used by a great variety of organisms as a means for producing energy. The redox potential of the oxygen-water couple is 1.229 Volts, meaning that a relatively large amount of energy is released during the 4 electron reduction which converts O2 to H2O. The incorporation of this reaction into cellular metabolism was an enabling…