title: Degradation of malathion by salt-marsh microorganisms.
abstract: Numerous bacteria from a salt-marsh environment are capable of degrading malathion, an organophosphate insecticide, when supplied with additional nutrients as energy and carbon sources. Seven isolates exhibited ability (48 to 90%) to degrade malathion as a sole carbon source. Gas and thin-layer chromatography and infrared spectroscopy confirmed malathion to be degraded via malathion-monocarboxylic acid to the dicarboxylic acid and then to various phosphothionates. These techniques also identified desmethyl-malathion, phosphorthionates, and four-carbon dicarboxylic acids as degradation products formed as a result of phosphatase activity.
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D003998:Dicarboxylic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005658:Fungi / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008294:Malathion / Q000378:metabolism*; D063086:Organothiophosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D012623:Seawater; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D003998:Dicarboxylic Acids; D063086:Organothiophosphates; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D008294:Malathion