Improved biodegradation of 17β-estradiol by indigenous microorganisms and assessment of its ecotoxicity

Estrogen is a steroid hormone that damages aquatic animal ecology and human health because it contains two hydroxyl groups in its structure. Additionally, the environment is impacted by even a tiny ng/L. This study aims to isolate the organisms from drug-contaminated soil and to degrade 17β-estradiol from the environment. The isolated strains selected for degradation purposes were VITVK1, VITVK2, and VITVK3. The three strains were identified as rod-shaped bacteria the strains are Bacillus infantis, Achromobacter xyloxidans, and Sphingomonas sp. The genebank accession number was Bacillus infantis - PQ144088, Achromobacter xyloxidans - PQ155434, and Sphingomonas sp. - PQ144536. These strains are crucial to the current investigation; with Achromobacter xyloxidans achieving the highest degradation percentage of 17β-estradiol at 84 %, Sphingomonas sp. achieving 72 %, and Bacillus infantis achieving the lowest at 54 %. The maximum degraded bacteria sample was processed for optimization studies and analysed for SEM it was identified that degradation shows the changes in cell surface or the creation of extracellular materials are responsible for the degradation process of Achromobacter xylosoxidans, and GC-MS predicts the peak reduction of 0^th hr-12th hr. Helminth toxicity of Eisenia fetida and phytotoxicity of Eleusine coracana of 17β-estradiol shows high toxicity in the untreated sample. The study emphasizes how indigenous microbes can be used to bioremediate areas contaminated with 17β-estradiol and help degrade the endocrine-disrupting chemicals.