Hydrolysis of organophosphorus nerve agent soman by the monoclonal antibodies elicited against an oxyphosphorane hapten.

The antibody-mediated hydrolysis of the nerve agent O-1,2,2-trimethylpropyl methylphosphonofluoridate (soman) 1 has now been established with two monoclonal antibodies raised against the cyclic pentacovalent methyloxyphosphorane hapten 10 that mimics the pentacoordinated trigonal bipyramidal transition-state of the reaction. The hydrolysis reaction was studied using molecular orbital methods at the MP2/6-31 + G*/(/)HF/6-31 + G* level of accuracy. According to the ab initio calculations, the reaction seems to proceed via three separate transition-states. The calculations are in good agreement with the experimental results. The 1,3-dioxabenzophosphole hapten 10 was synthesized, coupled to the carrier protein and the antibodies were obtained by the hybridoma technique. Two antibodies, DB-108P and DB-108Q were found to enhance the rate of soman hydrolysis and they were kinetically characterised.

Pyrolysis products of PCBs.

Model compound studies which were previously done for impurities and environmental residues of chlorophenols and for wastes of chlorination processes were extended to the impurities and pyrolysis products of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Model compounds were commercial products or synthesized and their structures proven by spectroscopic methods. These models were used as analytical reference substances in GC/ECD and GC/MS studies of the pyrolyzed PCB samples. In addition to previously known neutral components like polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), chlorophenolic substances, especially polychlorophenols (PCPs) and polychlorinated biphenylols (PCB-OHs) were observed as major pyrolysis products of PCBs. Capacitor fires are suggested to produce in many cases chlorophenols which are major toxic hazards to people.