Synergistic Rhizosphere Degradation of γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane (Lindane) Through the Combinatorial Plant-Fungal Action
- Author: mycolabadmin
- 2017-08-31
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Summary
This research demonstrates how combining specific fungi with grass roots can effectively clean up soil contaminated with the pesticide lindane. The study found that when certain fungi work together with plant roots, they can break down this harmful chemical much faster than either could alone.
Impacts on everyday life:
– Provides a natural solution for cleaning up contaminated agricultural land
– Helps reduce exposure to toxic pesticide residues in soil
– Offers an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical cleanup methods
– Could help make previously contaminated land safe for farming again
– Demonstrates how natural biological processes can solve environmental problems
Background
Lindane is a common organochlorine pesticide that persists in soil and poses environmental and health concerns due to its toxic, persistent and bio-accumulative properties. While its use has been banned in many countries, it continues to be used in developing nations and its residues remain in previously contaminated sites that require remediation.
Objective
To study the synergistic capabilities of different lindane-utilizing fungi strains isolated from lindane-degraded soil, assess their tolerance capacities, analyze lindane degrading kinetics, and investigate possible degradation pathways and associated genes involved in the process.
Results
The fungal strains were identified as Aspergillus niger, Talaromyces atroroseus, Talaromyces purpurogenus, Yarrowia lipolytica and Aspergillus flavus. Combined rhizospheric action of M. maximus and fungi accelerated lindane degradation, reducing initial concentration of 45 mg/kg to 11.26, 9.34 and 11.23 mg/kg in 20%, 30% and 40% treatments respectively, achieving 79.76%, 85.93% and 88.67% degradation efficiencies. All strains possessed the tested genes, with varying levels of expression.
Conclusion
The synergistic association of the identified rhizospheric fungi and M. maximus roots effectively removes lindane from soil in a limited time period and could be applied at large scale. The study provides new insights into fungal-root rhizospheric degradation mechanisms for soil cleanup of lindane and potentially other organochlorine pesticides.
- Published in:PLoS One,
- Study Type:Laboratory Experimental Study,
- Source: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183373