Fluorescent Sensors for Organophosphorus Nerve Agent Mimics

摘要

The ease of production and extreme toxicity of Organophosphorus (OP)-containing nerve agents underscores the need to detect these odorless and colorless chemicals.The volatile agents including Sarin,Soman,and Tabun are inhibitors of serine proteases,most notably acetylcholinesterase,and can be lethal within minutes when inhaled.Their toxicity arises from the nucleophilic attack of the hydroxyl group of a serine residue at the active site of the enzyme on the electrophilic phosphorus.The esterification of the alcohol with the phosphorus renders the enzyme inoperative,allowing a buildup of acetylcholine in the cholinergic synapses that effectively paralyzes the central nervous system.Detection methods for OP nerve agents have been developed based on the use of enzymes,interferometry,and fluorescence.These systems suffer from limitations such as slow response times,operational complexity,and limited portability.We report here a versatile sensor that combines a functional chemical device that triggers easily read responses with a range of fluorescent labels.