USEOF ENZYMES

HYDROLYZING AND OXIDATIVE ENZYME SYSTEMS WILL BE EVALUATED AND TESTED ON WATER SAMPLES SPIKED WITH ORGANOPHOSPHOROUS TOXIC CHEMICAL AGENTS CONTAINING P-F AND P-CN LINKAGES IN AN ATTEMPT TO DETOXIFY AND MAKE THE WATER DRINKABLE AGAIN. IF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE ENZYMES ARE NOT EFFECTIVE, THEN PEROXIDASE TYPE OF ENZYMES WILL BE SYNTHESIZED USING ORGANOPHOSPHOROUS COMPOUNDS AS SUBSTRATES AND THEIR OPTIMUM DETOXIFICATION EFFECT WILL BE DETERMINED EXPERIMENTALLY. SUCH FACTORS SUCH AS THE MAXIMUM RATE OF TOXIC CHEMICAL DESTRUCTION AS A FUNCTION OF TEMPERATURE, PH PRESENCE OF COENZYMES, TRACE METALS AND FINALLY THE CONCENTRATION OF THE ENZYMES AS VARIABLE WILL BE TESTED. THE MOST PROMISING SYSTEM WILL BE REPORTED IN THE FINAL REPORT AFTER COMPLETION OF PHASE I PROGRAM. THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF PHASE I IS HIGHLY PROBABLE.