DDT degradation potential of cattle manure compost

Area of Science:

• Environmental Microbiology
• Bioremediation
• Agroenvironmental Science

Background:

• Persistent organic pollutants like 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT) pose significant environmental risks.
• Bioremediation using microbial agents offers a sustainable approach to detoxify contaminated sites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of cattle manure compost (CMC) in degrading DDT.
• To identify and characterize DDT-degrading fungi within CMC.
• To assess the potential of CMC and its associated fungi for bioremediating DDT-contaminated soil.

Main Methods:

• DDT degradation was monitored during various composting stages.
• Fungal strains were isolated from CMC, identified, and tested for DDT degradation in potato dextrose broth (PDB) and contaminated soil (sterilized and unsterilized).
• Metabolic products of DDT degradation were identified.

Main Results:

• Cattle manure compost effectively degraded DDT, with optimal degradation observed at 60°C.
• Key metabolic products identified included 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDD) and 4,4-dichlorobenzophenone (DBP).
• Fourteen fungal strains, primarily Mucor circinelloides and Galactomyces geotrichum, showed significant DDT degradation capabilities at both 30°C and 60°C in PDB and in both sterilized and unsterilized soils.

Conclusions:

• Cattle manure compost harbors potent DDT-degrading fungi.
• These fungi demonstrate significant potential for the bioremediation of DDT-contaminated soils.
• CMC can be a valuable resource for developing effective bioremediation strategies against DDT pollution.