Developing an Enzymatic Method of Decontaminating Water Containing Chemical Warfare Nerve Agent

摘要

At 25 C. and pH 8.0 in water 2.6 nonograms of GD/hr/mg of enzyme protein will be hydrolyzed and detoxified using a commercially available alkaline phosphatase. 0.15 nonograms/hr/mg of protein of GD can be hydrolyzed with a crude DFP-ase enzyme extract obtained from squid ganglion. The values for VX are much lower, nevertheless some VX disappears when subjected to either of the hydrolyzing enzymes. The half-life (in hours) of GD in water at 35 C. using alkaline phosphatase was 1.3 and with a DFP-ase enzyme preparation 0.7. The half-life at 25 C was 2.9 and 1.4 respectively. THe half life for VX in water at 35 C was 41-36 respectively with alkaline phosphatase and 78-99 for DFP-ase. The hydrolysis of GD was accelerated by about 60 times with alkaline phosphatase preparation and about 130 times with DFP-ase enzyme preparation. Hydrolysis of VX was accelerated by about 7 times by alkaline phosphatase and about 5 times by DFP-ase. The half-lives of agent was generally 1/2 to 1/3 less at 25 C than at 35 C. as could be expected for and enzymatic temperature rise of 10 C.