HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Willems, H. P. L. Articles by Mullins, D. E. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Willems, H. P. L. Articles by Mullins, D. E. Agricola Articles by Willems, H. P. L. Articles by Mullins, D. E.

Carbofuran Degradation and Metabolite Incorporation during Solid State Fermentation

Dep. of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Inst. & State Univ., Blacksburg, VA 24061;

Donald E. Mullins

Dep. of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Inst. & State Univ., Blacksburg, VA 24061.

^* Corresponding author (duberry{at}vt.edu).

ABSTRACT

We investigated the suitability of solid state fermentation (SSF) as a means to dispose of carbofuran (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl methylcarbamate). The fate of [U-ring-¹⁴C] labeled carbofuran was determined in incubation chambers containing either sphagnum peat moss (limestone-amended) or a peanut hulls/peat moss/steam-exploded wood (1:1:1) mixture (PPW). Ethyl acetate-extractable, and alkali soluble and insoluble fractions were evaluated for radioactivity following either a 4- or 8-wk incubation period at 35°C. The majority of the radioactivity (80–98% of applied activity) was associated with the matrix materials at the end of the incubation period for both matrix materials with no significant mineralization observed. For peat, the majority of radioactivity was associated with the alkali insoluble fraction (63.5%), with only 8% of the applied activity found in the ethyl acetate extract after 8 wk. For the PPW mix, 71% of the applied radioactivity was recovered in the ethyl acetate extract, whereas 11% of the applied activity was found in the alkali insoluble fraction after 8 wk. The metabolite carbofuran-7-phenol, detected in the ethyl acetate extracts of the peat and PPW mix following 4 and 8 wk of incubation, was susceptible to oxidative coupling in the presence of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and H₂O₂, suggesting that this metabolite had become covalently bound to organic matter during humic substance formation. These results may provide the basis for the development of an effective and economical method for detoxification or containment of waste pesticide residue.