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Nerve-gas destruction with metal organic frameworks
Citation:
Glaser, J. Nerve-gas destruction with metal organic frameworks. CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY. Springer-Verlag, New York, NY, 18(2):351-358, (2016).
Impact/Purpose:
This news column is designed to inform the reader of current discoveries and technical findings related to clean technology and environmental policy.
Description:
Chemical warfare agents (CWAs) such as saran, soman, and tabun have been developed since World War I. Their mode of action involves the rapid formation of phosphate ester bonds with acetylcholinesterase to attenuate activity. The cumulative result of this activity loss leads to an accumulation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and reduction of neural signals attuned to muscle activation and respiration. Continued exposure results in oxygen deprivation and asphyxiation. Significant stores of these highly toxic materials continue to exist across the globe. Efforts have been undertaken to detoxify the CWAs by several countries. Simple basic hydrolysis can be made to work at large scale but has its attendant problems.
