biocatalystn.
/ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)ˈkatəlɪst/, /ˌbʌɪə(ʊ)ˈkatl̩ɪst/, U.S. /ˌbaɪoʊˈkædl̩əst/ Biochemistry.
A biochemical catalyst, an enzyme; (in later use esp.) such a catalyst used to catalyse a particular chemical reaction, often for commercial or industrial purposes (e.g. in a bioreactor).
ΚΠ
1919 W. M. Bayliss Nature Enzyme Action (ed. 4) ii. 12 Effront (1918) has used the name ‘bio-chemical catalyst’ as equivalent to ‘enzyme’. This has the advantage of calling attention to the nature of these agents, but is rather lengthy for general use. Perhaps ‘bio-catalyst’ might serve.
1927 R. Willstäter Probl. & Methods in Enzyme Res. i. 12 They [sc. multiple component catalysts] thus form an approach to the biocatalysts.
1968 Jrnl. Theoret. Biol. 19 305 The combination of these features in a single molecule may well require that a biocatalyst be macromolecular.
1983 Science 11 Feb. 730/2 A bioreactor is a biocatalyst in a container.
2002 New Scientist 11 May 4/1 Bugs that eat roads and buildings. Biocatalysts that break down fuel and plastics... These are just a few of the non-lethal weapons that the US has tried to develop.
Derivatives
biocataˈlytic adj. of or relating to biocatalysis or biocatalysts; of the nature of a biocatalyst.
ΚΠ
1924 Jrnl. Physical Chem. 28 1001 Many biocatalytic reactions are identical with those induced by colloidal platinum or charcoal.
1951 E. I. Rabinowitch Photosynthesis II. i. xxvi. 858 Among all life phenomena, photosynthesis is perhaps the most sensitive to slight variations in the structure and composition of the biocatalytic apparatus.
1998 New Scientist 15 Aug. 58/1 (advt.) A new EU Funded Contract which is primarily concerned with the production of thin biocatalytic films of enzymes for biotransformation processes.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, November 2010; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1919