In one embodiment, a hydrogel-enzyme construct for performing high temperature enzymatic reaction on paraoxon, and/or for performing enzymatic reaction on paraoxon following exposure to high temperature, includes a hydrogel having multiple layers of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) and a plurality of dPTE2 enzyme molecules. Individual dPTE2 enzyme molecules are embedded between adjacent PMAA layers and are covalently bonded with respective individual PMAA layers. The hydrogel-enzyme construct is capable of performing enzymatic reaction on the paraoxon when the paraoxon is exposed to the hydrogel-enzyme construct under a temperature condition of up to above 99? C. and below 100? C. or when the paraoxon is exposed to the hydrogel-enzyme construct after the hydrogel-enzyme construct has been heated to a temperature condition of up to 550? C., where the enzymatic reaction on the paraoxon by individual dPTE2 molecules embedded within the hydrogel occurs at a residual activity of between 20% and 100%.

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having organophosphorous hydrolase activity, and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

A CT value controller includes a storage means, an input means, and a computing means. The storage means stores a function expressing a relative humidity and a CT value regarding a degradation degree of an anticancer agent, an assumed relative humidity, and a CT setting. The input means inputs a measured relative humidity and a measured ozone concentration at a time of degradation treatment of the anticancer agent. The computing means calculates a corrected CT value increment based on a difference between the measured relative humidity and the assumed relative humidity at every input of the relative humidity and the ozone concentration by using the function. The computing means determines a termination of the degradation treatment of the anticancer agent when an integrated CT value of the corrected CT value increments reaches the CT setting.

A method of using select Schiff base compounds for chemical agent detoxification. The method including applying a compound to the contaminated substrate. The compound includes an imine having at least one Schiff base nitrogen and an alkyl substituent or an aryl substituent having an electron acceptor. The at least one Schiff base nitrogen is spaced away from the electron acceptor by a distance ranging from about 200 pm to about 1000 pm. The substrate and the compound are dried. The at least one Schiff base nitrogen of the compound promotes a nucleophilic attack on an electrophilic site of the toxic chemical agent.

General medication disposal systems are provided. Aspects of the systems include devices having a sealable container dimensioned to accommodate a pharmaceutical composition; and an amount of an inactivating substance, e.g., granulated or pelletized activated carbon, present inside of the of sealable container. Aspects of the invention further include methods of making and using the systems, as well as kits comprises the devices of the system.

The potential for substance abuse involving residual amounts of abusable substances remaining in used skin-worn patches is reduced by the provision of a system and method for combining the abusable substance with a separate anti-abuse substance agent as part of a removal or disposal procedure.

There are provided an anticancer agent degradation method for protecting medical professionals from exposure to an anticancer agent externally scattered in, for example, a safety cabinet or prescription laboratory, during drug preparation or other circumstance, and an anticancer agent degradation apparatus for use with this anticancer agent degradation method. Anticancer agent flyoff in a safety cabinet, etc. is degraded by exploiting an action of ozone-containing air humidified by humidifying means. A relative humidity of humidified ozone-containing air is preferably greater than or equal to 80%. In controlling degradation treatment on the basis of CT values, a difference between expected humidity and measured humidity is reflected in an increment of CT value to understand the progress of anticancer agent degradation properly.

This invention is directed toward a non-wild-type organophosphorus acid anhydrolase enzyme having two site mutations, method of production, and method of use to more effectively degrade toxic organophosphorus compounds and, in particular, toxic chemical GD (3,3-Dimethylbutan-2-ylmethylphosphonofluoridate), than the wild type organophosphorus acid anhydrolase.

A method for decontamination of a toxic substance is disclosed. The method includes fabricating a plurality of nanomotors, and putting the plurality of nanomotors in contact with a contaminant solution comprising the toxic substance. Fabricating the plurality of nanomotors includes preparing a mesoporous silica template, forming the plurality of nanomotors within the mesoporous silica template, and separating the plurality of nanomotors from the mesoporous silica template. The mesoporous silica template includes a plurality of channels, where each channel of the plurality of channels have a diameter less than about 50 nm and a length of less than about 100 nm, and each nanomotor of the plurality of nanomotors is formed within a channel of the plurality of channels. Putting the plurality of nanomotors in contact with the contaminant solution includes adding hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2O.sub.2) and the plurality of nanomotors to the contaminant solution.

Provided herein are recombinant microbial cells displaying on their surface a non-native protein capable of degrading an organophosphate, wherein the recombinant microbial cell has inhibited replication, as well as recombinant microbial cells engineered to be capable of expressing a non-native transcription factor that activates a non-native promoter in response to an organophosphate degradation product, wherein the non-native promoter is operatively linked to a nucleic acid encoding a reporter protein, wherein activity of the reporter protein can be detected, and their use for degrading organophosphates and detecting organophosphate degradation products.