Microbial Surfactants and Pesticide Residue Abatement

Karanth, N. G. K. and Anu Appaiah, K. A. (1994) Microbial Surfactants and Pesticide Residue Abatement. In: 35th AMI Conference, 9-12 Nov 1994.

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Abstract

Elimination of pesticide residues from food has become important and has evoked immense interest in recent research. It is now established that microbes have an indirect role in this, as they are capable of degrading pesticides into inorganic innocuous end products. In the process of degradation, transport and delivery of lipophylic pesticide molecules to the degradation Site becomes the rate limiting step. Recent studies indicate that bacteria produce surfactants to overcome such limitations. Even though microbial surfactants are widely used in industries such as petroleum (MEOR), textiles, food processing and mining, their use in the field of pesticide abatement is not yet explored. Investigations of Patel and Gopinathan (1986) on organophosphatic pesticides show that microbial surfactants may have a role in pesticide metabolism. We, at CFTRI, have reported the first microbial surfactant for solid organochlorine Insecticides from HCH degrading Pseudomonas Ptm+ strain. The biosurfactant not ooy disperses the pesticide molecules into micellar fractions to promote insecticide degradation, bul also acts as a cleaning agent and removes residues from fruits, vegetables, grains and soil. Toxicological evaluation of the surfactant In rats has revealed that these molecules are nontoxic to mammals. Fermentor studies for large-scale production of HCH specific biosurfactant indicate that microbial biosurfactants can be good candidates for industrial exploitation and pesticide residue abatement, thereby making the environment better for living.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	microbial surfactant pesticide residues
Subjects:	500 Natural Sciences and Mathematics > 04 Chemistry and Allied Sciences > 26 Pesticide Chemistry 500 Natural Sciences and Mathematics > 07 Life Sciences > 04 Microbiology
Divisions:	Food Protectants and Infestation Control
Depositing User:	Food Sci. & Technol. Information Services
Date Deposited:	05 Jan 2017 07:54
Last Modified:	05 Jan 2017 07:54
URI:	http://ir.cftri.res.in/id/eprint/12610

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