The bacterial PTE is able to catalyze the hydrolysis of a wide range of organophosphate nerve agents. The active site has been shown to consist of a unique binuclear metal center that has evolved to deliver hydroxide to the site of bond cleavage. The reaction rate for the hydrolysis of activated substrates such as paraoxon is limited by product release or an associated protein conformational ch...

Gaseous dimethyl dioxirane (DMDO) was evaluated as a decontaminant for simulants of chemical and biological warfare agents (CBW). Isolated DMDO was present as a liquid in CFC 113 or the fluorinated ether, Novec HFE 7100TM (3M) and was easily vaporized under reduced pressure. The Hagent simulant, thioanisole, and the G-agent simulants, paraoxon and diphenyl chlorophosphate (DPCP), were efficient...