Microbial bioremediation of organophosphorus compounds

SANTILLAN JULIA YAMILA; ADOLFO IRIBARREN; ELIZABETH LEWKOWICKZ

Buzios

Simposio; I Simposio Latinoamericano de Biocatalisis y Biotransformaciones; 2014

Phosphotriesters constitute 38% of the currently organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) used worldwide (1). Its mode of action is the irreversible inhibition of acetyl cholinesterase directly affecting the central nervous system. Prolonged and excessive use of OPs generates pollution of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems (2). Therefore, enzymes that degrade these compounds, such as phosphotriesterases (PTEs), are of considerable interest. These enzymes have been found in a variety of biological sources such as mammals, fish, birds, molluscs and bacteria. The PTEs studied in greater detail are those from Brevundimonas diminuta, and Flavobacterium sp., and rabbit and human serum paraoxonasas (3). In the present work we have studied the activity of wild type bacteria as potential biocatalysts in the degradation of OPs.