Genetic Enhancement of an Anti-Freeze Protein for use as a Substitute for Ethylene Glycol for Aircraft Anti-icing

• Main Author: Henry, John L
• Other Authors: ASPEN SYSTEMS INC MARLBOROUGH MA
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2001
• Subjects: Aircraft; Biochemistry; Genetic Engineering and Molecular Biology; Snow; Ice and Permafrost; *GENETICS; *ICE FORMATION; *ICE PREVENTION; *PROTEINS; AMINO ACIDS; ANTIBODIES; ANTIFREEZES; ASSAYING; BIOSYNTHESIS; DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACIDS; ETHYLENE GLYCOL; FIELD TESTS; FREEZING; GENES; NUCLEOTIDES; PEPTIDE HYDROLASES; PURIFICATION; SUBSTITUTES; TOXICITY; YEASTS; *AIRCRAFT ANTI-ICING; *GENETIC ENHANCEMENT; *ANTI-FREEZE PROTEIN; *ETHYLENE GLYCOL SUBSTITUTES; DNA(DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACIDS); DNA OLIGONUCLEOTIDE SYNTHESIS; GENE MUTAGENESIS; CLONING; DNA SEQUENCE ANALYSIS; CLONE SELECTION; MUTANT DENDROIDES CANADENSIS PROTEIN EXPRESSION; SPHEROPLASTS; PCR(POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTIONS); PICHIA PASTORIS SYSTEM; PROTEASES; Griffith; Ice; permafrost
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA611472; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA611472

Traditional anti-icing agents are either propylene or ethylene glycol. Glycols are effective in lowering the freezing point of water mixtures by the phenomenon of freezing point depression based solely on the molal concentration. The key environmental concerns with respect to use of ice control fluids are BOD loading and toxicity (human/mammalian and aquatic) resulting in extensive costs associated with the collection and cleanup associated with their use. For example, at Griffith AFB, NY, the use of glycols as a deicing fluid for aircraft has resulted in ground water cleanup programs costing over $8.2M. Additionally, an Air Force policy has been issued banning future purchase of ethylene glycol. Glycol based anti-icing agents are effective in lowering the freezing point of water mixtures by the phenomenon of freezing point depression. The magnitude of the freezing point depression of a given material is dependent on the amount of the material (solute), present in the solution (water) but not on its nature, and therefore freezing point depression is called a colligative property, denoting depending on the collection.