Abstract
Of 147 microorganisms isolated from a loamy sand, 71 showed good growth with lindane (γ-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane) and produced chloride in an aqueous medium. Thirteen soil microorganisms were selected to study the utilization of lindane. Lindane was metabolized by the microbes to γ-2,3,4,5,6-pentachloro-1-cyclohexene (γ-PCCH), α-3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1-cyclohexene (α-TCCH), β-3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1-cyclohexene (β-TCCH), γ-3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1-cyclohexene (γ-TCCH), and pentachlorobenzene (PCB). Cells of Pseudomonas sp. No. 62 grown on lindane simultaneously adapted to γ-PCCH, α-TCCH, β-TCCH, γ-TCCH, PCB, 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene (1,2,3,4-TCB) and 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene (1,2,4,5-TCB). The bacteria degraded each of these chemicals at least partially as indicated by an increased rate of oxygen consumption.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- Lindane:
-
γ-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane
- γ-PCCH:
-
γ-2,3,4,5,6-pentachloro-1-cyclohexene
- α-TCCH:
-
α-3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1-cyclohexene
- β-TCCH:
-
β-3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1-cyclohexene
- γ-TCCH:
-
γ-3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1-cyclohexene
- PCB:
-
pentachlorobenzene
- 1,2,3,4-TCB:
-
1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene
- 1,2,3,5-TCB:
-
1,2,3,5-tetrachlorobenzene
- 1,2,4,5-TCB:
-
1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene
- 1,2,3-tCB:
-
1,2,3-trichlorobenzene
- 1,2,4-tCB:
-
1,2,4-trichlorobenzene
- 1,3,5-tCB:
-
1,3,5-trichlorobenzene
- 1,2-DCB:
-
1,2-dichlorobenzene
- 1,3-DCB:
-
1,3-dichlorobenzene
- 1,4-DCB:
-
1,4-dichlorobenzene
- MCB:
-
monochlorobenzene
References
Alexander, M.: Biodegradation: Problems of molecular recalcitrance and microbial fallibility. Advanc. appl. Microbiol. 7, 35–80 (1965)
Benezet, H., Matsumura, F.: Isomerization of γ-BHC to α-BHC in the environment. Nature (Lond.) 243, 480–481 (1973)
Bergmann, J. G., Sanik, J., Jr.: Determination of trace amounts of chlorine in naphtha. Analyt. Chem. 29, 241–243 (1957)
Breed, R. S., Murray, E. G. D., Smith, N. R.: Bergey's manual of determinative bacteriology, 7th ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins 1957
Edwards, C. A.: Insecticides. In: Organic chemical in the soil environment, Vol. 2 (C. A. I. Goring, J. W. Hamaker, eds.), pp. 513–568. New York; Dekker 1972
Engst, R., Macholz, R. M., Kujawa, M.: Metabolismus des Lindan. Abbau von Lindan durch Schimmelpilzkulturen. Nahrung 18, 737–745 (1974)
Gilman, J. C.: A manual of soil fungi, 2nd ed. Ames: Iowa State College Press 1957
Gunner, H. B., Zuckerman, B. M.: Degradation of diazinon by synergistic microbial action. Nature (Lond.) 217, 1183–1184 (1968)
Karapally, J. C., Saha, J. G., Lee, Y. W.: Metabolism of lindane-14C in rabbit: Ether-soluble urinary metabolites. J. Agr. Food Chem. 21, 811–818 (1973)
Kovacs, M. F.: Thin layer chromatography for pesticide residue analysis. Ass. Offic. Agr. Chem. 48, 1018–1022 (1965)
Martin, J. P.: Use of acid rose bengal and streptomycin in the plate method for estimating soil fungi. Soil Sci. 69, 215–232 (1950)
Miles, J. R. W., Tu, C. M., Harris, C. R.: Metabolism of heptachlor and its degradation products by soil microorganisms. J. Econ. Entomol. 62, 1334–1338 (1969)
Reed, W. T., Forgash, A. J.: Metabolism of lindane to organic-soluble products by houseflies. J. Agr. Food Chem. 18, 475–481 (1970)
Sweeney, R. A.: Metabolism of lindane and unicellular algae. Proc. 12th Conf. Great Lakes Res: Internat. Assoc. Great Lakes Res., pp. 98–102 (1969)
Tu, C. M.: Interaction between lindane and microbes in soils. Arch. Microbiol. 105, 131–134 (1975)
Tu, C. M., Miles, J. R. W., Harris, C. R.: Soil microbial degradation of aldrin. Life Sci. 7, 311–322 (1968)
Waksman, S. A., Fred, E. B.: A tentative outline of the plate method for determining the number of microorganisms. Soil Sci. 14, 27–28 (1922)
Yule, W. N., Chiba, M., Morley, H. B.: Fate of insecticide residues. Decomposition of lindane in the soil. J. Arg. Food Chem. 15, 1000–1004 (1967)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Contribution No. 631, Research Institute, Agriculture Canada, University Sub Post Office, London, Ontario N6A 5B7
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tu, C.M. Utilization and degradation of lindane by soil microorganisms. Arch. Microbiol. 108, 259–263 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00454850
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00454850