Glossary

Amino acid: molecule which has a carbon backbone and two functions: an amine (-NH2) and a carboxylic acid (-COOH). The amino acids make up the proteins.

Bacteria: single-celled prokaryotic living organisms, i.e. an absence of nucleus and organelles (small functional structures of the cell).

Biological: a maintenance product is biological if it contains living organisms (bacteria).

Biodegradable: a product is biodegradable when it is broken down in the natural environment biologically, i.e. by living organisms.

Biotechnology: application of science and technology to living organisms and to other living or non-living matter for the production of knowledge, goods and services.

Biotechnologies play an important role in the health industries sector, but also in the environment, agriculture and agri-food sectors, and also for the development of innovative industrial processes.

Patent: industrial property title which gives its holder an exclusive right of use on the patented invention.

Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD): quantity of oxygen needed to oxidise organic matter biologically (oxidation of biodegradable organic matter by bacteria). It is used to assess the biodegradable share of the pollutant load of waste water.

Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD): consumption of oxygen by strong chemical oxidants to oxidise the organic and mineral substances of the water. It is used to assess the pollutant load of waste water.

Ecolabel: European ecological label recognised by all European Union member countries but also by Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. This voluntary label, brought in in 1992 by an EU regulation (regulation CEE 880/92), guarantees the consumer effective products which have a high degree of environmental performance throughout the product's life cycle.

Enzyme: molecule (protein) that allows the biochemical reactions of the metabolism occurring inside or outside the cell to be accelerated up to millions of times.

Water purification: all of the techniques used to purify water either to recycle waste water in the natural environment or to transform natural water into drinking water.

Hydrolysis: the decomposition of a substance in an aqueous environment, which frees its constituent elements from it. For example, the hydrolysis of sucrose gives glucose and fructose.

Hydrolase: type of enzyme which catalyses (accelerates) the reactions from hydrolysis.

Organic Matter: carbon matter emanating from vegetable and animal living beings (or not).

Renewable Raw Material (RRM): material extracted from nature (natural resource), or produced by it, used in the production of finished products.

Protein: organic macromolecule (large-sized molecule) made up of a chain (or sequence) of interlinked amino acids.

Recycling: the recycling of waste has two consequences: the reduction of the volume of waste and the preservation of natural resources.

News Realco
15.12.2011 - 16:37:12
Enzymes in Antarctica !
Since November, enzyme products developed by REALCO flew to Antarctica !
During the next 4 months, the Belgian Princess Elisabeth polar station, run by Alain Hubert, will use enzymatic products from REALCO!
To know more about the Belgian Princess Elisabeth polar station, clic here ...


6.09.2011 - 09:07:35
Enzymes for life
REALCO launches a specific action focused on Food industries and major institutional until 30th December 11.
the goal of this action is to take profit from the attractiveness of our Biofilm Detection Kit and Biofilm treatment offer to present Realco’s global enzymatic approach. In ...


25.07.2011 - 17:50:29
The enzymatic revolution
July 2011
The enzyme revolution Editorial
"For over 40 years, our company has been pushing the boundaries of chemistry in its work in biotechnology,  
 particularly its research into enzyme technology. ...