FUNGAL DEGRADATION OF ORGANOPHOSPHOROUS INSECTICIDES

Organophosphorous insecticides are used extensively in agriculture. As a group, they are easily degraded by bacteria in the environment. How ever, a number of them have half-lives of several months. Little is kn own about their biodegradation by fungi. We showed that Phanerochaete chrysosporium mineralized chlorpyrifos, fonofos, and terbufos (27.5, 1 2.2, and 26.6%, respectively) during an 18-d incubation in nutrient ni trogen-limited cultures. Results demonstrated that the chlorinated pyr idinyl ring of chlorpyrifos and the phenyl ring of fonofos undergo cle avage during biodegradation by the fungus. The usefulness of P. chryso sporium for bioremediation is discussed.