Open AccessDegradation of malathion by salt-marsh microorganisms
Author(s) -
A. W. Bourquin
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
applied and environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.552
H-Index - 324
eISSN - 1070-6291
pISSN - 0099-2240
DOI - 10.1128/aem.33.2.356-362.1977
Subject(s) - malathion , degradation (telecommunications) , microorganism , organophosphate , biodegradation , chemistry , environmental chemistry , carbon fibers , pesticide , bacteria , organic chemistry , biology , ecology , materials science , telecommunications , genetics , composite material , computer science , composite number
Numerous bacteria from a salt-marsh environment are capable of degrading malathion, an organophosphate insecticide, when supplied with additional nutrients as energy and carbon sources. Seven isolates exhibited ability (48 to 90%) to degrade malathion as a sole carbon source. Gas and thin-layer chromatography and infrared spectroscopy confirmed malathion to be degraded via malathion-monocarboxylic acid to the dicarboxylic acid and then to various phosphothionates. These techniques also identified desmethyl-malathion, phosphorthionates, and four-carbon dicarboxylic acids as degradation products formed as a result of phosphatase activity.
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