What is the difference between biological and chemical catalysts?
Biological catalysis involves an enzyme usually working in conjunction with a co-enzyme. These enzyme/co-enzyme systems are highly specific and are usually only effective for one reaction. Catalysis of non biological reactions is usually much more general and any one catalyst will be effective in many reactions.
catalysts which catalyze the chemical reactions taking place in human body such as enzymes are called bio-catalyst and other one's which are generally used in laboratory by chemists for multiple type of reactions are chemical ctalysts
Biological catalyst: 1. Biological catalysts or enzymes are high molecular weight globular proteins. 2.Their composition may change at the end of reaction. 3.Their catalyzing effect is very high. i.e faster than chemical catalyst. 4.They are reaction specific. i.e One enzyme or biological catalyst may catalyze only particular type of reaction and not many. 5.They are intolerant to temperature and pH changes. An enzyme can not function outside its temperature or pH range. e.g amylase,lipase,pepsin Chemical catalyst: 1.Chemical catalysts are simple inorganic molecules with low molecular weight. 2.They remain unchanged at the end of reaction. 3.They are slower compared to enzymes. 4.They are not reaction specific. 5.They function within wide range of temperatures,pH or pressure. e.g vanadium dioxide, platinum
