N. Shapir et al., Rapid atrazine mineralization under denitrifying conditions by Pseudomonassp. strain ADP in aquifer sediments, ENV SCI TEC, 32(23), 1998, pp. 3789-3792
Citations number
30
Categorie Soggetti
Environment/Ecology,"Environmental Engineering & Energy
Atrazine mineralization was studied in sediments taken from a shallow aquif
er underlying a cornfield continuously receiving atrazine and terbuthylazin
e. In contrast to previous publications indicating slow or nonexisting mine
ralization rates under denitrifying conditions in sediments, we hereby repo
rt on the ability of the bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP to rapidly mi
neralize atrazine in aquifer sediments under nitrate reducing conditions. W
hen atrazine was present in low concentrations (relevant to nonpoint source
s such as agricultural application), the bacterium mineralized 55% and 75%
of the atrazine in 2 and 4 days, respectively. When atrazine was present in
high concentrations (relevant to spill sites), P. ADP mineralized 48% and
78% in 4 and 15 days, respectively. The present study indicates that bioaug
mantation with an effective atrazine mineralizing bacterium such as P. ADP
could yield high mineralization rates even under oxygen limited conditions
and have a significant implication for bioremediation of atrazine in contam
inated aquifers.