Chemical and biological weapons can be used during conflicts and by terrorists to injure or kill humans and animals. Chemical weapons contain toxic chemicals and biological weapons contain pathogenic organisms. With proper protective equipments and training, the lethal effects of chemical and biological warfare agents can be minimised. First aid kit is available that contain detection, decontam...

o protect personnel from hazardous materials, substances must be unambiguously detected in real time. This goal is being pursued with the application of a wide range of technologies. Most chemical sensors must strike a compromise between sensitivity and selectivity to meet the real-time goal. The sensor platform described in this article is designed to eliminate any such compromise. Thus far, w...

Rapid detection of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) in all of its forms including gas and liquid is of paramount importance to protect the warfighter or first responders in homeland defense. CWAs such as OPs and vesicants pose serious threats because these agents can be ingested with contaminated food or rapidly penetrate skin. We reported that polyurethane immobilized cholinesterases (acetyl and...

Chemical warfare agents containing phosphonate ester bonds are among the most toxic chemicals known to mankind. Recent global military events, such as the conflict and disarmament in Syria, have brought into focus the need to find effective strategies for the rapid destruction of these banned chemicals. Solutions are needed for immediate personal protection (for example, the filtration and cata...

Enzyme-based Detoxification of Organophosphorus Neurotoxic Pesticides and Chemical Warfare Agents. (December 2007) Rory James Kern, B.S., Texas A&M University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. James Wild There are some 15,000 known organophosphorus chemicals. Some of these OP’s, including VX and paraoxon, demonstrate an acute neurotoxicity due to the inhibition of cholinergic enzymes. Organophos...

Leaf-cutting ants are well known for their highly complex social organization, which provides them with a strong defense against parasites invading their colonies. Besides this attribute, these insects have morphological, physiological and structural characteristics further reinforcing the defense of their colonies. With the discovery of symbiotic bacteria present on the integument of leaf-cutt...

Nuclear, biological and chemical warfare have in recent times been responsible for an increasing number of otherwise rare dermatoses. Many nations are now maintaining overt and clandestine stockpiles of such arsenal. With increasing terrorist threats, these agents of mass destruction pose a risk to the civilian population. Nuclear and chemical attacks manifest immediately while biological attac...

Bacterial enzymes have been isolated that catalyze the hydrolysis of organophosphate nerve agents with high-rate enhancements and broad substrate specificity. Mutant forms of these enzymes have been constructed through rational redesign of the active-site binding pockets and random mutagenesis to create protein variants that are optimized for the detoxification of agricultural insecticides and ...

Indicators providing highly sensitive and functional group specific fluorescent response to diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP, a nerve gas (G-agent) simulant) are reported. Nonemissive indicator 2 reacts with DFP to give a cyclized compound 2+A- that shows a high emission due to its highly planar and rigid structure. Very weak emission was observed by the addition of HCl. Another indicator based...