Degradation of Methyl Parathion by a Soil Bacterial Isolate: A Pot study

Abstract

The indiscriminate use  of chemicals fertilizers and pesticides have not only deteriorated   the environment but also the groundwater resources as well .Their intensive consumption   causes   deleterious effects on plant, animal and aquatic ecosystems thereby causing serious problems related to health.   Since these  are one of the  factors  which are  responsible for  the contamination of air, water and terrestrial ecosystems and also  the cause of   disruption of biogeochemical cycling,  it is extremely important to bring down ,the toxicity  levels  that these chemicals impose on the environment, by the use of effective technology, which  is    cost effective and safe. It has been suggested that biodegradation becomes an attractive option for destruction of pesticides since it utilizes a natural process and offers the potential for being cost effective as well as safe technology Thus the present study deals with the isolation and   use indigenous bacteria for degradation of  an organophosphorous pesticide- methyl parathion  present in the soil samples which were collected from the pesticide contaminated agricultural field.