Synthesis and biodegradation of the VX nerve agent derivative 2-DIISO-propylaminoethylsulfonic acid
- Military Academy, West Point, NY (United States)
The United States is currently examining biodegradation methods to demilitarize chemical weapons. The nerve agent, O-ethyl-S-(2-diisopropylamino-ethyl)methylphosphonothiolate (VX) is first chemically inactivated with water at 90% yielding two fragments. One fragment is 2-diisopropylaminoethanethiol which quickly reacts with another thiol fragment forming the disulfide, bis(2-diisopropylaminoethyl)disulfide. The presence of the disulfide bond in this compound renders it resistant to biodegradation. Methods for converting the disulfide to the sulfonic acid are currently being pursued by treatment with performic acid. However, the sulfonic: acid has been synthesized by an independent method. Preliminary experiments indicate that the sulfonic acid at 1.0 and 0.5 mM is degraded by Rhodococcus dp. strain IGTS8 as evidenced by an increase in the optical density at 600 nm.
- OSTI ID:
- 370086
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960376-; TRN: 96:003805-0137
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Spring national meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), New Orleans, LA (United States), 24-28 Mar 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of 211th ACS national meeting; PB: 2284 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Investigating the Affinities and Persistence of VX Nerve Agent in Environmental Matrices
Hydrolysis of VX on Concrete: Rate of Degradation by Direct Surface Interrogation using an Ion Trap Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer