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Atrazine and its metabolites degradation in mineral salts medium and soil using an enrichment culture

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Abstract

An atrazine-degrading enrichment culture was used to study degradation of atrazine metabolites viz. hydroxyatrazine, deethylatrazine, and deisopropylatrazine in mineral salts medium. Results suggested that the enrichment culture was able to degrade only hydroxyatrazine, and it was used as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Hydroxyatrazine degradation slowed down when sucrose and/or ammonium hydrogen phosphate were supplemented as the additional sources of carbon and nitrogen, respectively. The enrichment culture could degrade high concentrations of atrazine (up to 110 μg/mL) in mineral salts medium, and neutral pH was optimum for atrazine degradation. Further, except in an acidic soil, enrichment culture was able to degrade atrazine in three soil types having different physico-chemical properties. Raising the pH of acidic soil to neutral or alkaline enabled the enrichment culture to degrade atrazine suggesting that acidic pH inhibited atrazine-degrading ability. The study suggested that the enrichment culture can be successfully utilized to achieve complete degradation of atrazine and its persistent metabolite hydroxyatrazine in the contaminated soil and water.

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  1. Division of Agricultural Chemicals, ICAR - Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India

    Anup Kumar & Neera Singh

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  1. Anup Kumar
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  2. Neera Singh
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Correspondence to Neera Singh.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. Consent to publish the work from co-author and the responsible authority of institution, where work was carried out, has been obtained. Research does not involve humans or animals.

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Kumar, A., Singh, N. Atrazine and its metabolites degradation in mineral salts medium and soil using an enrichment culture. Environ Monit Assess 188, 142 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5144-3

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