Abstract
Fensulfothion (O,O-diethyl O-[4-(methylsulfinyl)phenyl]phosphorothioate), an organophosphorus pesticide used to control the golden nematode Heterodera rostochiensis, is used as a source of carbon by microorganisms isolated from soils treated with the pesticide. Two of the microbial isolates, Pseudomonas alcaligenes C1 and Alcaligenes sp. strain NC3, used more than 80% of the pesticide in 120 h in culture when supplemented as a source of carbon. P. alcaligenes C1, which showed maximal growth on fensulfothion, degraded the compound to p-methylsulfinyl phenol and diethyl phosphorothioic acid. The phenolic metabolite could be identified by conventional spectral analysis, whereas the spectral patterns of the phosphorus-containing metabolite suggested that the compound was complexed with some cellular molecules. However, utilization of the phosphoric acid ester and ethanol by P. alcaligenes C1 suggested that the microbe attacks fensulfothion by an initial hydrolysis of the compound and subsequent utilization of the phosphoric acid ester. The pathway of degradation of fensulfothion by P. alcaligenes is of great value in the detoxification of the pesticide residues and also in the environmentally stable phosphoric acid esters.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Getzin L. W. Persistence of diazinon and zinophos in soil: effects of autoclaving, temperature, moisture, and acidity. J Econ Entomol. 1968 Dec;61(6):1560–1565. doi: 10.1093/jee/61.6.1560. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HANES C. S., ISHERWOOD F. A. Separation of the phosphoric esters on the filter paper chromatogram. Nature. 1949 Dec 31;164(4183):1107-12, illust. doi: 10.1038/1641107a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HUGH R., LEIFSON E. The taxonomic significance of fermentative versus oxidative metabolism of carbohydrates by various gram negative bacteria. J Bacteriol. 1953 Jul;66(1):24–26. doi: 10.1128/jb.66.1.24-26.1953. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Munnecke D. M., Hsieh D. P. Microbial decontamination of parathion and p-nitrophenol in aqueous media. Appl Microbiol. 1974 Aug;28(2):212–217. doi: 10.1128/am.28.2.212-217.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wood P. A., MacRae I. C. Reduction of fensulfothion to fensulfothion sulfide by Klebsiella pneumoniae. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1977 Sep;34(3):247–250. doi: 10.1128/aem.34.3.247-250.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]