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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1975 October; 30(4): 575-580
Copyright © 1975 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Microbial Metabolism of a Parathion-Xylene Pesticide Formulation

Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, California 95616

ABSTRACT

A mixed bacterial culture was adapted to growth on a mixed carbon substrate consisting of the pesticide parathion and its xylene-based formulation. The environmental growth parameters of temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen concentration were optimized to obtain complete metabolism of parathion from this mixed carbon substrate. This adapted culture grew rapidly (µ = 0.7 per h) on the pesticide formulation at high parathion suspensions (3,000 mg/liter). Carbon utilization from this mixed substrate was strongly dependent on pH. At slightly acidic pH, xylene was preferentially metabolized, whereas at slightly alkaline pH, parathion was preferentially metabolized. Diethylthiophosphoric acid, a metabolite from parathion, and toluic acid, a metabolite from xylene, also influenced the selection of the primary carbon source.

¹ Present address: Institut für Bodenbiologie, Forschungsanstalt für Landwirtschaft, Braunschweig, West Germany.