DEGRADATION OF ATRAZINE IN SOIL BY STREPTOMYCES

Streptomyces sp. PS1/5 was able to degrade atrazine in soil while grow ing on a mixture of chitin and ground cornstalks as carbon and nitroge n source. The addition of triple superphosphate greatly stimulated the degradation of atrazine by Streptomyces sp. PS1/5, while the addition of lime stimulated the degradation to a lesser degree. Ferrous sulfat e had a small positive effect on atrazine degradation. Atrazine in soi l was reduced from 20 g g(-1) dry soil (20 ppm) to 6 ppm within 30 day s in soil amended with 8% chitin, 2% cornstalks and 0.1% triple superp hosphate and incubated at 25 degrees C. The results indicate that it m ay be possible to use bacteria of the genus Streptomyces to degrade pe sticide residues in contaminated soils.