Carbonic Anhydrase Interaction with DDT, DDE, and Dieldrin

The active site of various carbonic anhydrases is not blocked by DDT. DDE, or dieldrin. Impairment of catalytic efficiency can only be documented in opalescent test solutions in which the insecticides are present in excess of their solubility limit. These slowly forming precipitates occlude enzyme from solution and furnish a physical explanation of the supposed inhibition. The amounts occluded depend, among other things, on the conformational and topographical characteristics of the particular carbonic anhydrase molecules.