Promising technologies for remediation of warfare nerve agents and pesticides: biodegradation and non-biological applications

Abstract

The importance of chemical weapons as a current overall threat in possession of terrorist groups, along with a constant increase of pesticides usage, leading to intoxications frames and contaminations into the environment around the world, have kept the attention of researchers in order to develop new technologies for a rapid and complete detoxification of the poisoning caused by these organophosphorus compounds (OP). The standard treatment includes the usage of reactivator compounds, such as the so-called oximes. Other important remediation processes involve the employment of bioremediation techniques using different degrading enzymes, such as Phosphotriesterase, Human Serum Paraoxonase 1, Diisopropyl fluorophosphatase, among others. In addition to these promising treatments, there is also the possibility of using non-biological materials in the degradation process, such as some metal oxides clusters.