REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

www.mod.gov.rs

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

Material Resources Sector

Defensive Technologies Department

Military Technical Institute

www.vti.mod.gov.rs

Enzyme-based technologies in detection, decontamination and protection from toxic organophosphate compounds

sonja bauk

Military Technical Institute, Belgrade, bauk.sonja@gmail.com

maja vitorović-todorović

Military Technical Institute, Belgrade, mvitod@chem.bg.ac.rs

anton radojković

Military Technical Institute, Belgrade, radojkovicanton@gmail.com

željko senić

Military Technical Institute, Belgrade, zsenic1@gmail.com

dušan rajić

Innovation Centre, Faculty of Technology, University of Belgrade, rajic.dusan1@gmail.com

Abstract: Wide application and extreme toxicity of organophosphate compounds cause an increased risk of environmental contamination which may arise as a result of controlled activities, accidental release or terroristic actions. The most important elements in such emergency situation are fast and reliable contaminant detection, followed by immediate and efficient decontamination, as well as application of adequate physical and medical protection. Biotechnology offers some very attractive solutions in all of these areas of an emergency response. Application of enzymes is especially suitable, because of certain advantages which they possess over the other methods. In this paper, a broad spectrum of enzymes, which found their application in different biodetection techniques or as a part of decontamination, detoxification and protective strategy are discussed, as well as different methods that have been used for developing enzyme-based biomaterials able to mitigate the life-threatening effects of toxic organophosphates.

Keywords: Organophosphates, enzymes, detection, decontamination, protection.