Review on Performance of Aspergillus and Penicillium Species in Biodegradation of Organochlorine and Organophosphorus Pesticides

Abstract

The use of pesticides in agricultural practices raises concerns considering the toxic effects they generate in the environment; thus, their sustainable application in crop production remains a challenge. One of the frequently addressed issues regarding their application includes the development of a sustainable and ecofriendly approach for their degradation. Since the filamentous fungi can bioremediate various xenobiotics owing to their efficient and versatile enzymatic machinery, this review has addressed their performance in the biodegradation of organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides. It is focused particularly on fungal strains belonging to the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium, since both are ubiquitous in the environment, and often abundant in soils contaminated with xenobiotics. Most of the recent reviews on microbial biodegradation of pesticides focus primarily on bacteria, and the soil filamentous fungi are mentioned only marginally there. Therefore, in this review, we have attempted to demonstrate and highlight the exceptional potential of aspergilli and penicillia in degrading the organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides (e.g., endosulfan, lindane, chlorpyrifos, and methyl parathion). These biologically active xenobiotics have been degraded by fungi into various metabolites efficaciously, or these are completely mineralized within a few days. Since they have demonstrated high rates of degradation activity, as well as high tolerance to pesticides, most of the Aspergillus and Penicillium species strains listed in this review are excellent candidates for the remediation of pesticide-contaminated soils.

The function of microbial enzymes in breaking down soil contaminated with pesticides: a review

“…Nevertheless, endosulfan sulfate has the higher rate of hydrolysis than endosulfan. Endosulfan sulfate reported to be further transform into endosulfan monoalcohol through oxidation reaction via endosulfan hemisulfate [ 47 ].…”

The Fabrication and Property Characterization of a Ho2YSbO7/Bi2MoO6 Heterojunction Photocatalyst and the Application of the Photodegradation of Diuron under Visible Light Irradiation

“…The traditional process of water pollution treatment involved the fusion of physical, chemical, and biological methods [10][11][12]. Nonetheless, with the advancement of industrial processes, effluents have become increasingly complex, making it more challenging to completely remove organic pollutants using these conventional methods.…”

Preparation and Property Characterization of Sm2EuSbO7/ZnBiSbO5 Heterojunction Photocatalyst for Photodegradation of Parathion Methyl under Visible Light Irradiation

“…Chemical oxidation, despite its effectiveness, comes with high costs and the risk of introducing additional toxic pollutants into water [10]. Meanwhile, biodegradation techniques are limited to treating diluted wastewater [11][12][13]. Similarly, methods like adsorption, precipitation, and membrane filtration present challenges in terms of operational costs, implementation complexities, and overall efficacy [14][15][16][17].…”