Microbial biodegradation and toxicity of vinclozolin and its toxic metabolite 3,5-dichloroaniline.

Jung-Bok Lee, Ho-Yong Sohn, Kee-Sun Shin, Jong-Sik Kim, Min-Sub Jo, Chun-Pyo Jeon, Jong-Ok Jang, Jang-Eok Kim, Gi-Seok Kwon

Index: J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 18(2) , 343-9, (2008)

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Abstract

Vinclozolin, an endocrine disrupting chemical, is a chlorinated fungicide widely used to control fungal diseases. However, its metabolite 3,5-dichloroaniline is more toxic and persistent than the parent vinclozolin. For the biodegradation of vinclozolin, vinclozolin- and/or 3,5-dichloroaniline-degrading bacteria were isolated from pesticide-polluted agriculture soil. Among the isolated bacteria, a Rhodococcus sp. was identified from a 16S rDNA sequence analysis and named Rhodococcus sp. T1-1. The degradation ratios for vinclozolin or 3,5- dichloroaniline in a minimal medium containing vinclozolin (200 microg/ml) or 3,5-dichloroaniline (120 microg/ml) were 90% and 84.1%, respectively. Moreover, Rhodococcus sp. T1-1 also showed an effective capability to biodegrade dichloroaniline isomers on enrichment cultures in which they were contained. Therefore, these results suggest that Rhodococcus sp. T1-1 can bioremediate vinclozolin as well as 3,5-dichloroaniline.