Biotechnological strategies for phytoremediating triazinic herbicides in the Humid Pampa (Argentine)

MERINI, LJ; CUADRADO, V; GIULIETTI, AM

Journal of life science

David Publishing Company

Lugar: El Monte; Año: 2012 vol. 6 p. 1068 - 1076

1934-7391

In agricultural producer countries, the use of chlorinated herbicides (atrazine), associated to intensive farming practices, overflows the ecosystems natural attenuation capacity. Thus, herbicide residues contaminate the soils and water sources, increasing the risk for human health and wildlife. Humid Pampa is the main agricultural region in one of the world?s largest herbicide consumer countries; hence, technologies to remediate its residues are needed. In this context, phytoremediation is an effective, environmental friendly and publicly accepted option. Accordingly, the objective of designing biotechnological strategies for phytoremediating triazinic herbicide residues in an integrated approach to the ongoing Humid Pampa agricultural trend is raised. In this way, strategies according to the edaphic, topogeographic and farming practices characteristics of this region where establish. In those strategies, the adequate selection of plant species is central. For that purpose, atrazine tolerance assays were performed in simple (semisolid agar medium) and complex (microcosms) experimental systems implanted with Lolium multiflorum, Lotus sp and Quenopodium quinoa. L. multiflorum was selected and evaluated through atrazine dissipation assays in soil, achieving statistically significant attenuation levels. According to the observed results, a strategy for scaling up the application to field conditions is proposed.