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Malathion Degradation by an Arthrobacter Species¹

ABSTRACT

The dissipation of malathion from agricultural soils has been shown to involve both chemical and biological mechanisms, with biodegradation being of substantial magnitude. This investigation was conducted to (i) isolate from soil by enrichment techniques bacterium or several bacteria capable of readily metabolizing malathion, and (ii) isolate and identify the malathion metabolites resulting from this microbial degradation. Of 18 soil bacteria examined, 5 were capable of utilizing the malathion molecule with degradation of added insecticide ranging from 47 to 95%. The most efficient malathion utilizer, an Arthrobacter species, degraded malathion to malathion half-ester, malathion dicarboxylic acid, potassium dimethyl phosphorothioate, potassium dimethyl phosphorodithioate, and one other unidentified metabolite. O-desmethyl malathion, potassium salt, was also produced, but the mechanism involved was nonbiological in nature. Malathion dissipation was monitored by electron-capture gas-liquid chromatography, and metabolites were identified by thin-layer chromatography and infrared spectroscopy.

Key Words: organophosphorus insecticides • malathion • biodegradation • Arthrobacter

¹ Contribution from the Department of Agronomy-Soils, Miss. Agr. and Forest. Exp. Sta., Mississippi State Univ., Mississippi State, Miss. 39762. Part of the Ph.D. Dissertation submitted by the senior author. The research was supported in part by the S-62 regional project. Approved for publication by the Director of the Experiment Station, Journal article no. 2529.

² Microbiologist, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Ocean Springs, Miss., and Professor of Agronomy (Soil Microbiologist), Mississippi State Univ., Mississippi State, Miss., respectively.

Received for publication March 1, 1973.