Microbial degradation of monocrotophos by Aspergillus oryzae

Organophosphorus pesticides are widely used in India for protection of agricultural yields. However, these pesticides pose various threats to organisms, including humans, and hamper soil microbial activity; thus, they are a cause for concern. As a measure of bioremediation, soil fungi capable of degrading monocrotophos (MCP) were isolated from various geographical and ecological sites. Twenty-five strains were isolated by an enrichment method using MCP as a carbon and phosphorus source. On the basis of MCP tolerance capacity exhibited in gradient agar plate assay the isolate M-4, identified as Aspergillus oryzae ARIFCC 1054, was selected for further studies. The ability of the isolate to mineralize MCP was investigated under different culture conditions. The isolate was found to possess phosphatase activity. The course of the degradation process was studied using HPTLC and FTIR analyses. The results suggest that this organism could be used for bioaugmentation of soil contaminated with MCP and for treatment of aqueous wastes. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.