The collective monograph is devoted to discussing the history of creation, studying the properties, neutralizing and using organophosphorus neurotoxins, which include chemical warfare agents, agricultural crop protection chemical agents (herbicides and insecticides) and medicines. The monograph summarizes the results of current scientific research and new prospects for the development of this field of knowledge in the 21st century, including the use of modern physicochemical methods for experimental study and theoretical analysis of biocatalysis and its mechanisms based on molecular modeling with supercomputer power. The book is intended for specialists who are interested in the current state of research in the field of organophosphorus neurotoxins. The monograph will be useful for students, graduate students, researchers specializing in the field of physical chemistry, physicochemical biology, chemical enzymology, toxicology, biochemistry, molecular biology and genetics, biotechnology, nanotechnology and biomedicine.

Organophosphorus compounds (OPC) pose a serious threat, as they can have a neurotoxic effect on the human body, even death. In this regard, the main challenge of our times is the search for effective ways of degradation of OPC. In this case, preference is given to biological methods of OPC detoxification, which do not require the use of harsh chemical methods of degradation and are suitable for in vivo use. One of such methods is the use of biocatalysts — enzymes capable of hydrolyzing OPC. To stabilize the activity of enzymes, as well as leveling a possible immune response from the body when used in vivo, various modification methods are used, such as nanocapsulation, the formation of enzymepolyelectrolyte complexes, immobilization of the enzyme on various functionalized carriers, etc. The chapter contains the information on examples of such biocatalysts, discussion of their advantages and disadvantages.

Undecomposed residues of organophosphorus compounds (OPC) after treatment with pesticides of plants or animals often fall into natural objects (water, soil and air). Modern approaches to the immobilization of enzymes allowing obtaining of stable biological products are described, as well as the possible using of immobilized enzymes for the decomposition of different OPC: paraoxone, methyl and ethyl paraoxone, coumaphos, parathion, methyl and ethyl parathion, chlorpyrifos, soman, VX, methylphosphonic acid and its isobutyl and diisobutyl ethers, diisopropyl fluorophosphate.