Recent advances in heterogeneous catalytic system containing metal ions for phosphate ester hydrolysis

Organophosphates are a class of organic compounds important for living organisms, forming the building blocks for DNA, RNA and some essential cofactors. Furthermore, non-natural organophosphates are widely used in industrial applications, including as pesticides, in laundry detergents, and, unfortunately, as chemical weapons agents. In some cases, the natural degradation of organophosphates can take thousands of years; this longevity creates problems associated with handling, and especially with the storage of the waste generated by such phosphate esters. Efforts to develop new catalysts for the cleavage of phosphate esters have progressed in recent decades, mainly in the area of homogeneous catalysis. In contrast, the development of heterogeneous catalysts for the hydrolysis of organophosphates has not been as prominent. In this review, we describe examples of heterogeneous systems and highlight the importance of the development of heterogeneous catalysts applicable to organophosphate hydrolysis, shedding light into recent advances related to the different solid matrices that have been employed.