Abstract
Esters of organophosphorus acids (OPs) are widely used nowadays. They have an application as pesticides, drugs or chemical warfare agents. Their acute toxicity is ascribed to the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a key enzyme in the transmission of nerve impulses in mammals. Their toxic effects are manifested by the accumulation of acetylcholine and can lead to the paralysis or death. OPs poisoning therapy is based on the application of specific antidotes as well as non-specific and symptomatic procedures. In this contribution, recent achievements concerning the protection from OPs activity and an overview of the methods for their removal from the environment and decontamination of contaminated persons were presented.
Highlights
History of development and application of organophosphorus acids (OPs)DEVELOPMENT of organophosphorus (OP) chemistry began in the 19th century, when Jean Louis Lassaigne synthesized triethyl phosphate in the reaction of ethanol and phosphoric acid [1]
Philippe de Clermont synthesized tetraethylpyrophosphate (TEPP) in 1854, which was the first OP compound used as an insecticide
German chemist Gerhard Schräder recognized the potential of TEPP as an insecticide and synthesized the first commercial OP formulation – an insecticide product containing this compound as an active ingredient [4]
Summary
DEVELOPMENT of organophosphorus (OP) chemistry began in the 19th century, when Jean Louis Lassaigne synthesized triethyl phosphate in the reaction of ethanol and phosphoric acid [1]. The series of highly toxic OP compounds with cyano-group (P-CN) or a fluorine atom (P-F) bonded directly to a phosphorus atom were synthesized [2,3]. The synthesized CWAs were sarin and soman [1] The synthesis of these compounds as chemical weapons has drawn the attention of the scientific community to the development of the methods of protection against its use in combat operations and potential terroristic activities [1,5]. DFP has been an inevitable model-compound for the study of the pharmaco-toxic and toxico-dynamic effects as an inhibitor of the enzymes from the ChE group. After the Second World War, research on the synthesis of new CWA was continued and the G series containing isopropylmethyl phospho-nofluoridate (GE) and cyclosarin were synthesized. The synthesis of amitone, a new CWA series of OPs, known as V-poisons, was created with the most famous VX poison among them [4,6]
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