UK scientists have shown that plants can be used to detect nerve agents.
Nerve agents such as the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, VX (O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate), are extremely toxic substances banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention. Unfortunately, they can still be used to terrifying effect in the wrong hands, with one example being the sarin attacks in the Tokyo Metro in 1995.
The V nerve agents, of which VX is the most famous, was discovered by accident during work on organophosphate pesticides
To read the full article please visit Chemistry World
Detection of the organophosphorus nerve agent VX and its hydrolysis products in white mustard plants grown in contaminated soil
Matthew R. Gravett, Farrha B. Hopkins, Marcus J. Main, Adam J. Self, Christopher M. Timperley, Andrew J. Webb and Matthew J. Baker
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25883H
