Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
5
Microbial Remediation of Pesticides
Ibrahim Abdulwahid Arif, Mohammad Abdul Bakir, and Haseeb Ahmad Khan
CONTENTS
5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 131
5.2 General Considerations for Microbial Remediation of Pesticides .............................. 133
5.3 Bacteria ................................................................................................................................ 135
5.3.1 Genetically Engineered Bacteria ......................................................................... 136
5.3.2 Culture-Independent Study ................................................................................. 136
5.3.3 Microbial Consortia............................................................................................... 137
5.4 Archaea ............................................................................................................................... 137
5.5 Fungi.................................................................................................................................... 138
5.5.1 Hybridization ......................................................................................................... 139
5.6 Cyanobacteria..................................................................................................................... 139
5.7 Concluding Remarks......................................................................................................... 140
References..................................................................................................................................... 141
5.1 Introduction
As a generalized definition, a pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances
intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest. Though often
misunderstood to refer only to insecticides, the term pesticide also applies to herbicides,
fungicides, and various other substances used to control pests (US EPA 2010c). Pesticides
are often referred to according to the type of pest they control. Major types of pesticides
are listed in Table 5.1 (modified from US EPA 2010b). Pesticides have been used to control,
eliminate, or destroy pests in order to meet the continuously increasing food demand of
the world. Therefore, contamination of soils with persistent pesticides is a widespread
problem arising from the extensive use of pesticides in agriculture or from industrial
chemical wastes. They have harmful effects directly or indirectly on soil, environment,
surface water and groundwater, natural flora and fauna, and aquatic life, which will ulti-
mately adversely influence human beings and livestock. So, the impact of pesticides on
atmosphere and community health is of great significance regardless of their noticeable
benefits (Rashid et al. 2010). Use of pesticides worldwide exceeded 5.0 billion pounds
in 2000 and 2001. Herbicides accounted for the largest portion of total use, followed by
other pesticides, insecticides, and fungicides ( Table 5.2 ; modified from US EPA 2010a).
Pesticides have been used for agriculture, gardening, and controlling of home-based
pests. Despite environmental disturbances, harmful effects of pesticides come from
direct use. Ironically, pesticide poisoning causes more deaths than infectious diseases in
131
 
Search WWH ::




Custom Search