Index >> Biodegradation of Pesticides and Pollutants >> Some Examples of Pesticides Pollutants Degradation

The pesticide/pollutant/intermediaries/final product

Specific microorganisms
used for mineralisation/degradation

Comments, if any

A. Insecticide Parathion(O, O-diethyl O-(p-nitrophenyl phosphorothioate 4-nitrophenol  full degradation

Stepwise, Pseudomonas stutzeri and P. aeroginosa

90 per cent
degradation in soil.

B. The herbicide IPC(Isopropyl N-phenyl carbamate)

Arthrobacter Sp.

Completely
degraded in soil. in soil.

C. The herbicide chloropropham (Isopropyl-N-3-chlorophenyl carbamate)

Pseudomonas spp.

in soil.

D. The fungicide pentachlorophenol (PCP)

Rhodococcus Chlorophenolicus, Arlhrobacter sp. and Flavobacterium sp.

in soil.

E. Crude oil

Candida guillermondii

Nil

F. The herbicide 2,4-0(2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid)

Suspension of microorganisms

in soil

G. PCB (Polychlorinated biphenyl)

Acinetobacter sp.

Nil

H. The herbicide pyrazon (5-amino­4-chloro-2-phenyl pyridazine-3 (2H)-one

Gram negative coccus

Nil

I. The herbicide 2,4,5- T (2,4, 5-trichlorophenoxy acetic acid)

Pseudomonas cepacia and
Phanerochaete
chrysosporium

P. cepacia in soil and P. chrysosporium
in ground corn cob.

J. The insecticides Lindane (1,2,3,4,5, 6-hexachlorocydohexane) and chlorodane (1,2,4,5,6,7,8,8-octachloro­2,3,3a,4,7, 7a-hexahydro-4,7­methanoidane)

Phanerochaete
chrysosporium

in sterile soil amended with corncobs.

K. The herbicide dicamba (3-6-dichloro­2-methoxybenzoic acid) and nitrophenols (2-3, and 4-nitrophenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol)

microbial mixture

Decreased in flooded soil.

L. 4-nitrophenol

Pseudomonas sp.

Enhances in sewage system.

M. Wood preservative pentachlorophenol (PCP)

Phanerochaete sp. and a
mixture of
microorganisms

Under field condition 90 per cent degradation in 7 weeks.