Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Biodegradability and biodegradation pathways of endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate

  • Mini-Review
  • Published:
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate are persistent organic pollutants that cause serious environmental problems. Although these compounds are already prohibited in many countries, residues can be detected in soils with a history of endosulfan application. Endosulfan is transformed in the environment into endosulfan sulfate, which is a toxic and persistent metabolite. However, some microorganisms can degrade endosulfan without producing endosulfan sulfate, and some can degrade endosulfan sulfate. Therefore, biodegradation has the potential to clean up soil contaminated with endosulfan. In this review, we provide an overview of aerobic endosulfan degradation by bacteria and fungi, and a summary of recent advances and prospects in this research field.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson JPE, Lichtenstein EP, Whittingham WF (1970) Effect of Mucor alternans on the persistence of DDT and dieldrin in culture and in soil. J Econ Entomol 63:1595–1599

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arshad M, Hussain S, Saleem M (2008) Optimization of environmental parameters for biodegradation of alpha and beta endosulfan in soil slurry by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Appl Microbiol 104:364–370

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Awasthi N, Singh AK, Jain RK, Khangarot BS, Kumar A (2003) Degradation and detoxification of endosulfan isomers by a defined co-culture of two Bacillus strains. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 62:279–283

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bajaj A, Pathak A, Mudiam MR, Mayilraj S, Manickam N (2010) Isolation and characterization of a Pseudomonas sp. strain IITR01 capable of degrading α- endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate. J Appl Microbiol 109:2135–2143

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bhalerao TS, Puranik PR (2007) Biodegradation of organochlorine pesticide, endosulfan, by a fungal soil isolate, Aspergillus niger. Int Biodeterior Biodegrad 59:315–321

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bumpus JA, Aust SD (1987) Biodegradation of DDT [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane] by the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Appl Environ Microbiol 53:2001–2008

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez M, Miglioranza KSB, Aizpún JE, Isla FI, Peña A (2010) Assessing pesticide leaching and desorption in soils with different agricultural activities from Argentina (Pampa and Patagonia). Chemosphere 81:351–358

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goswami S, Vig K, Singh DK (2009a) Biodegradation of α and β endosulfan in broth medium and soil microcosm by bacterial strain Bordetella sp. B9. Biodegradation 20:199–207

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goswami S, Vig K, Singh DK (2009b) Biodegradation of α and β endosulfan by Aspergillus sydoni. Chemosphere 75:883–888

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hussain S, Arshad M, Saleem M, Khalid A (2007a) Biodegradation of α- and β-endosulfan by soil bacteria. Biodegradation 18:731–740

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hussain S, Arshad M, Saleem M, Zahir ZA (2007b) Screening of soil fungi for in vitro degradation of endosulfan. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 23:939–945

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jia H, Liu L, Sun Y, Sun B, Wang D, Su Y, Kannan K, Li YF (2010) Monitoring and modeling endosulfan in Chinese surface soil. Environ Sci Technol 44:9279–9284

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joosten V, van Berkel WJH (2007) Flavoenzymes. Curr Opin Chem Biol 11:195–202

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kamei I, Takagi K, Kondo R (2011) Degradation of endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate by white-rot fungus Trametes hirsuta. J Wood Sci 57:317–322

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kataoka R, Takagi K, Sakakibara F (2010) A new endosulfan-degrading fungus, Mortierella species, isolated from a soil contaminated with organochlorine pesticides. J Pestic Sci 35:326–332

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kataoka R, Takagi K, Sakakibara F (2011) Biodegradation of endosulfan by Mortieralla sp. strain W8 in soil; Influence of different substrates on biodegradation. Chemosphere 85:548–552

    Google Scholar 

  • Katayama A, Matsumura F (1993) Degradation of organochlorine pesticides, particularly endosulfan, by Trichoderma harzianum. Environ Toxicol Chem 12:1059–1065

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kertesz MA (1999) Riding the sulfur cycle—metabolism of sulfonates and sulfate esters in Gram-negative bacteria. FEMS Microbiol Rev 24:135–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Kotterman MJJ, Wasseveld RA, Field JA (1996) Hydrogen peroxide production as a limiting factor in xenobiotic compound oxidation by nitrogen-sufficient cultures of Bjerkandera sp. strain BOS55 overproducing peroxidases. Appl Environ Microbiol 62:880–885

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kullman SW, Matsumura F (1996) Metabolic pathways utilized by Phanerochaete chrysosporium for degradation of the cyclodiene pesticide endosulfan. Appl Environ Microbiol 62:593–600

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar K, Devi SS, Krishnamurthi K, Kanada GS, Chakrabarti T (2007) Enrichment and isolation of endosulfan-degrading and detoxifying bacteria. Chemosphere 68:317–322

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar M, Lakshmi CV, Khanna S (2008) Biodegradation and bioremediation of endosulfan contaminated soil. Biores Technol 99:3116–3122

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kwon G-S, Kim J-E, Kim T-K, Sohn H-Y, Koh S-C, Shin K-S, Kim D-G (2002) Klebsiella pneumoniae KE-1 degrades endosulfan without formation of the toxic metabolite, endosulfan sulfate. FEMS Microbiol Lett 215:255–259

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kwon G-S, Sohn H-Y, Shin K-S, Kim E, Seo B-I (2005) Biodegradation of the organochlorine insecticide, endosulfan, and the toxic metabolite, endosulfan sulfate, by Klebsiella oxytoca KE-8. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 67:845–850

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee J-B, Sohn H-Y, Shin K-S, Jo M-S, Kim J-E, Lee S-W, Shin J-W, Kum E-J, Kwon G-S (2006) Isolation of a soil bacterium capable of biodegradation and detoxification of endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate. J Agric Food Chem 54:8824–8828

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matsumoto E, Kawanaka Y, Yun S-J, Oyaizu H (2009) Bioremediation of the organochlorine pesticides, dieldrin and endrin, and their occurrence in the environment. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 84:205–216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mester T, Tien M (2000) Oxidation mechanism of ligninolytic enzymes involved in the degradation of environmental pollutants. Int Biodeterior Biodegrad 46:51–59

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shetty PK, Mitra J, Murthy NBK, Namitha KK, Savitha KN, Raghu K (2000) Biodegradation of cyclodiene insecticide endosulfan by Mucor thermo-hyalospora MTCC1384. Curr Sci India 79:1381–1383

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Siddique T, Okeke BC, Arshad M, Frankenberger WT Jr (2003) Enrichment and isolation of endosulfan-degrading microorganisms. J Environ Qual 32:47–54

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh NS, Singh DK (2011) Biodegradation of endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate by Achromobacter xylosoxidans strain C8B in broth medium. Biodegradation 22:845–857

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Steward DKR, Cairns KG (1974) Endosulfan persistence in soil and uptake by potato tubers. J Agric Food Chem 22:984–986

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland TD, Horne I, Lacey MJ, Harcourt RL, Russell RJ, Oakeshott JG (2000) Enrichment of an endosulfan-degrading mixed bacterial culture. Appl Environ Microbial 66:2822–2828

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland TD, Horne I, Lacey MJ, Harcourt RL, Russell RJ, Oakeshott JG (2002a) Isolation and characterization of a Mycobacterium strain that metabolizes the insecticide endosulfan. J Appl Microbiol 93:380–389

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland TD, Horne I, Russell RJ, Oakeshott JG (2002b) Gene cloning and molecular characterization of a two-enzyme system catalyzing the oxidative detoxification of β-endosulfan. Appl Environ Microbiol 68:6237–6245

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland TD, Weir KM, Lacey MJ, Horne I, Russell RJ, Oakeshott JG (2002c) Enrichment of a microbial culture capable of degrading endosulfate, the toxic metabolite of endosulfan. J Appl Microbiol 92:541–548

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tien M, Kirk TK (1988) Lignin peroxidase of Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Method Enzymol 161:238–249

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • US EPA (2002) Reregistration eligibility decision for endosulfan. Report No. 738-R-02-013. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., USA. Available at: www.epa.gov/oppsrrd/REDs/endosulfan_red.pdf (accessed Dec 1, 2012)

  • Verma K, Agrawal N, Farooq M, Misra RB, Hans RK (2006) Endosulfan degradation by Rhodococcus strain isolated from earthworm gut. Ecotoxicol Environ safety 64:377–381

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weber J, Halsall CJ, Muir D, Teixeira C, Small J, Solomon K, Hermanson M, Hung H, Bidleman T (2010) Endosulfan, a global pesticide: a review of its fate in the environment and occurrence in the Arctic. Sci Total Environ 408:2966–2984

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weir KM, Sutherland TD, Horne I, Russell RJ, Oakeshott JG (2006) A single monooxygenase, ese, is involved in the metabolism of the organochlorides endosulfan and endosulfate in an Arthrobacter sp. Appl Environ Microbiol 72:3524–3530

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (Research project for ensuring food safety from farm to table PO-2215). We thank Dr. Ken-ichi Yamazaki, National Institute for Agro-environmental Sciences, Mr. Futa Sakakibara, and Mr. Fujimasa Kawashima, Tokyo University of Agriculture, for their valuable suggestions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Yamanashi, 4-4-37 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi, 400-8510, Japan

    Ryota Kataoka

  2. Organochemicals Division, National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, 3-1-3 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8604, Japan

    Kazuhiro Takagi

Authors
  1. Ryota Kataoka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kazuhiro Takagi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kazuhiro Takagi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kataoka, R., Takagi, K. Biodegradability and biodegradation pathways of endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 97, 3285–3292 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-013-4774-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-013-4774-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation