Journal Article

Persistence and Biodegradation of Quinalphos Using Soil Microbes

Dhanjal, Noorpreet Inder Kaur, Cameotra, Swaranjit Singh, Sud, Dhiraj, Kaur, Paramjeet

2014

Overview

The present study reports the degradation of the persistent and toxic organophosphate, quinalphos, by employing microorganisms that were already members of the natural soil community for degradation. Bacillus and Pseudomonas spp., both of which are capable of degrading quinalphos from aqueous streams, were isolated from different contaminated soils. Batch experiments were performed to determine the natural and induced biodegradation of quinalphos in the aqueous medium. The rate of degradation was analyzed through determination of residual concentration using UV-Vis spectrophotometer and high-performance liquid chromatography. A single peak of a metabolite was observed on the 160th day, and identified as dihydroxy quinalphos oxon by mass spectrometry. The presence of quinalphos and its metabolite in water over an extended period prompted the authors to investigate its induced biodegradation using indigenous microbes extracted from soil. For biodegradation studies, the isolated microbes were inoculated into minimal media with quinalphos for 17 days. The results revealed that >80% of quinalphos was degraded in 17 days in the presence of isolated microbes, and no metabolite was observed during the biodegradation process.

• Publisher: THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION,Water Environment Federation,Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subject: Agrology / Bacillus / Bacillus - metabolism / Biodegradation / Biodegradation, Environmental / Chromatography / Experiments / Insecticides / Insecticides - metabolism / Liquid chromatography / Mass spectrometry / metabolite / Metabolites / Microorganisms / Organophosphates / Organothiophosphorus Compounds - metabolism / persistence / Pesticides / Phosphoric acid esters / Pseudomonas / Pseudomonas - metabolism / quinalphos / Soil contamination / Soil degradation / Soil Microbiology / Soil microorganisms