THE ENZYMATIC DEGRADATION OF POLYURETHANE PAINT BY SUBSTRATE ADDITION

ENZYMES HAVE BEEN USED IN INDUSTRY, FOR ANALYTICAL PURPOSES AND IN MEDICINE SINCE THE TURN OF THE CENTURY. THE LOW CONCENTRATION OF ENZYMES WHICH ARE NORMALLY PRODUCED BY WILD STRAINS, HOWEVER, WAS A CONSIDERABLE HINDRANCE FOR NEW RESEARCH AND APPLICATION UNTIL RECENT ADVANCES IN FERMENTATION CONDITIONS, GENETICS AND IMMOBILIZATION PROCESSES. THESE BREAKTHROUGHS HAVE ALLOWED THE ENZYME TECHNOLOGY FIELD TO BROADEN. ONE OF THE NEW AREAS OF RESEARCH IS ENZYMATIC DEGRADATION. TECHNICAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES PROPOSES TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF ENZYMATICALLY DEGRADING THE AIR FORCE POLYURETHANE PAINT LINE WITH SUBSTRATE ADDITION. THIS WOULD, IF SUCCESSFUL, REMOVE THE NECESSITY OF USING TOXIC, OFTEN CARCINOGENIC CHEMICALS IN TIME-CONSUMING, INEFFICIENT AND COSTLY PROCEDURES.