title: Degradation of selected agrochemicals by the white rot fungus Trametes versicolor.
abstract: Use of agrochemicals is a worldwide practice that exerts an important effect on the environment; therefore the search of approaches for the elimination of such pollutants should be encouraged. The degradation of the insecticides imiprothrin (IP) and cypermethrin (CP), the insecticide/nematicide carbofuran (CBF) and the antibiotic of agricultural use oxytetracycline (OTC) were assayed with the white rot fungus Trametes versicolor. Experiments with fungal pellets demonstrated extensive degradation of the four tested agrochemicals, at rates that followed the pattern IP>OTC>CP>CBF. In vitro assays with laccase-mediator systems showed that this extracellular enzyme participates in the transformation of IP but not in the cases of CBF and OTC. On the other hand, in vivo studies with inhibitors of cytochrome P450 revealed that this intracellular system plays an important role in the degradation of IP, OTC and CBF, but not for CP. The compounds 3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (DCCA) and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (PBA) were detected as transformation products of CP, as a result of the breakdown of the molecule. Meanwhile, 3-hydroxycarbofuran was detected as a transformation product of CBF; this metabolite tended to accumulate during the process, nonetheless, the toxicity of the system was effectively reduced. Simultaneous degradation of CBF and OTC showed a reduction in toxicity; similarly, when successive additions of OTC were done during the slower degradation of CBF, the fungal pellets were able to degrade both compounds. The simultaneous degradation of the four compounds successfully took place with minimal inhibition of fungal activity and resulted in the reduction of the global toxicity, thus supporting the potential use of T. versicolor for the treatment of diverse agrochemicals.
authors.affiliation: Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep Anton
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mir-Tutusaus
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación en Contaminación Ambiental (CICA), Universidad de Costa Rica, 2060 San José, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masís-Mora
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Cayo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Corcellas
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ethel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eljarrat
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain; Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), H2O Building, Scientific and Technological Park of the University of Girona, Emili Grahit 101, 17003 Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Damià
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barceló
authors.affiliation: Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarrà
authors.affiliation: Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (IQAC) CSIC. Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Glòria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caminal
authors.affiliation: Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vicent
authors.affiliation: Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Escola d'Enginyeria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Contaminación Ambiental (CICA), Universidad de Costa Rica, 2060 San José, Costa Rica. Electronic address: carlos.rodriguezrodriguez@ucr.ac.cr.
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D016573:Agrochemicals / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D007306:Insecticides / Q000378:metabolism*; D055454:Trametes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016573:Agrochemicals; D007306:Insecticides
keywords: Agrochemicals; Antibiotics; Degradation; Fungi; Pesticides