Metabolism of metolachlor by fungal cultures

Metabolism of metolachlor was studied using a mixed fungal culture isolated from a metolachlor-acclimated field soil. The culture rapidly degraded metolachlor with a half-life of 3.5 days in broth. Aspergillus flavus and A. terricola purified from the mixed culture also metabolized metolachlor effectively. Five metabolites obtained were identified by co-chromatography on HPLC by comparing with authentic standards and by GC-MS. Hydrolytic dechlorination, N-dealkylation, and amide bond cleavage appeared to be the dominant transformations involved in the metabolism. Metabolites, 6-methyl 2-ethyl acetanilide and 6-methyl 2-ethyl aniline, identified in this study are new metabolites of metolachlor being reported from any mixed or pure microbial cultures. The mixed culture could degrade 99% of metolachlor at a fortification level as high as 100 microg mL(-)(1).