Invertase is immobilised in ion-exchange resin of average diameter 1 mm. The amount of enzyme in the beads is measured by protein assay as 0.05 kg m ^-3. 20 cm ^3 beads are packed into a small column reactor; 75 ml sucrose solution at a concentration of 16 mM is pumped rapidly through the bed. In another reactor an identical quantity of free enzyme is mixed into the same volume of sucrose solution. Assume the kinetic parameters for free and immobilised enzyme are equal: K,,, is 8.8 mM and the turnover number is 2.4 x 10 gmol glucose (g enzyme)-'s^-1. The effective diffusivity of sucrose in the ion-exchange resin is 2 x 10^-6cm2s 4. What is the rate of reaction by free enzyme? -triyambak.org