Immobilized Nocardioides nitrophenolicus NSP41T strain as a strategy for atrazine bioremediation

CALABRO LOPEZ A; MERINI, LJ; MARTINEZ, CA; GIULIETTI, AM

Potrero de Funes, San Luis

Congreso; XLVII Reunión Anual Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular; 2011

SAIB

Atrazine (ATZ) is a triazinic herbicide widely used in agriculture. The potential toxicity of its residues motivates continuous bioremediation-directed research. Beside the pollution generated by intensive agricultural practices, final disposal of herbicides containers generate small highly contaminated spots, often in farmer houses vicinity. The characteristics of these spots make them an important issue for in situ bioremediation strategies. The aim of this work is to design a strategy for in situ bioremediate the residues that remain in disposed ATZ containers. In this way, ATZ degrader Nocardioides nitrophenolicus NSP41T strain was cultured in a low cost medium and immobilized in calcium alginate beads. Biodegradation experiment was performing in Erlemneyer flasks containing minimal culture medium at 26ºC and 200 rpm. Cell concentration and glucose addition was studied. After extraction and HPLC analysis, 99% of herbicide degradation was found after 5 days in all treatments. Beads were efficiently reused after 1 month of being incubated in ATZ presence. Results indicate that alginate immobilized N.nitrophenolicus NSP41T strain is a promissory strategy to bioremediate high concentration ATZ residues as a consequence of its regular agricultural handling. In addition, considering the degradation performance, this technology could be extended to effluent treatment.