A positive catalase test indicates that a bacteria can break down which substance?

A positive catalase test indicates that a bacterium can break down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. This reaction is crucial for the survival of aerobic organisms because hydrogen peroxide is a harmful byproduct of cellular respiration that can cause oxidative damage. The enzyme catalase facilitates this breakdown; therefore, when a sample of bacteria is exposed to hydrogen peroxide and bubbles are produced, it indicates the presence of catalase and confirms that the bacteria possess the ability to neutralize hydrogen peroxide effectively. This characteristic helps differentiate between bacterial species in microbiological studies and clinical diagnostics.