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Some Factors Affecting Degradation of Organochlorine Pesticides by Bacteria¹

Department of Animal Sciences, Food Science Section, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40506

ABSTRACT

Whole cells of Bacillus cereus, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Enterobacter aerogenes in trypticase soy broth degraded DDT into two to eight metabolites. Seven metabolites were from aerobic growth of the Bacillus. Similar metabolites were from anaerobic growth of E. coli and E. aerogenes but less than four metabolites were from aerobic growth of these organisms. Metabolic pathway for the degradation of DDT was similar for the aforementioned species: DDT DDD DDMU DDMS DDNU (DDOH) DDA DBP or DDT DDE. Whole cells of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Staphylococcus aureus were unable to degrade DDT under aerobic conditions.

None of the species was capable of degrading DDT in skimmilk or in trypticase soy broth containing 3% whole casein. Degradation was greatly reduced in trypticase soy broth containing 4.5% lactose or individual fractions of -, ß- and -casein. None of the species degraded dieldrin and heptachlor.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station as journal article no. 70-5-89.

² Present address, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 72071.