Mineralization of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in soil simultaneously enriched with saccharides

Detoxication of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in samples of chernozem soil was determined by a biological test and the time course of production of 14CO2, a product of microbial degradation of 2-14C-2-4-D, was measured during 38-d incubation at 28 degrees C in the dark. Enrichment of the soil with glucose (1000 ppm), two exocellular bacterial glucan and glucomannan polysaccharides (750 ppm), or a mixture of glucose with (NH4)2SO4 (C : N = 5 : 1) brought about acceleration of both detoxication and mineralization of 2,4-D (50 ppm) added simultaneously with the saccharides. Mineralization of the saccharides always preceded the degradation of the herbicide. The lag phase of 2,4-D mineralization did not exceed 3 d. In samples with saccharides the doubling time of the mineralization activity in the exponential phase of the process was substantially shortened and the mineralization of 2,4-D was accelerated even when the soil was inoculated with a suspension of soil in which microbial 2,4-D decomposers had accumulated. The extent of mineralization was not affected by the presence of saccharides (about 1/3 of the introduced radioactive carbon was transformed into 14CO2). All saccharides had a similar effect which reflected an increase in the overall bacterial count and in the relative abundance of bacterial 2,4-D decomposers . The role of other mechanisms such as co-metabolism in the stimulation of the degradation process is discussed.