10.1246/bcsj.56.2065
The research investigates the copper-catalyzed autoxidation of cysteine and the production of hydrogen peroxide under various conditions. The study finds that the rate of autoxidation is dependent on the concentration of dissolved oxygen, with a double reciprocal plot indicating a possible Michaelis-Menten type mechanism for the reoxidation or oxygenation of Cu(I) species. The stoichiometric relation between cysteine consumed and hydrogen peroxide produced is confirmed to be 2:1 in dilute solutions. The presence of certain buffers, particularly phosphate, enhances the oxidation process. The formation and subsequent decomposition of hydrogen peroxide vary with pH, and the study suggests that the autoxidation process involves a two-equivalent oxidation-reduction mechanism.