Organophosphorus pesticides degrading bacteria present in contaminated soils (original) (raw)

The characterization of organophosphorus degrading bacteria present at three subsamples in soils from a contaminated land by pesticides, at southeast of Cartagena de Indias-Bolivar, Colombia was performed. These samples were homogenized and treated as a single sample, one part was separated for pesticide extraction and the second one was subject to monocrotophos (200 ppm) for 30 days. Bacteria capable to develop in a highly selective media with organophosphorus were isolated and biochemically identified by using BBL Crystal©kit. Bacterial growing was confirmed by means of UV-VIS spectroscopy of M9 liquid medium, and verification of pesticide bacterial degradation was perform by gas chromatography coupled flame ionization detector. According to the study at the molecular level of ribosomal gene 16S, it was determined that the three bacterial strains isolated from soil (C1, C2 and C3) belong to Enterobacteriaceae family. These species showed their ability to degrade organophosphorus pesticides.