POTENTIAL OF INDIGENOUS KLEBSILLA SP. FOR CHLORPYRIFOS BIODEGRADATION.

Pesticides are one of the major disturbing factors in ecosystems, so their removal/degradation is the need of time. In the present research, 56 microbial strains were isolated from cotton growing areas of Punjab. Strain Ct27 (Klebsiella sp.) was most resistant/effective in chlorpyrifos degradation. Biodegradation potential of Klebsiella sp. was studied under different conditions like; concentration, carbon sources, pH and inoculum densities. Klebsiella sp. showed 90% chlorpyrifos biodegradation (200mgL^-1) at pH8 and 10⁵CFU/mL with addition of glucose in 18 days. Presence of other nutrients enhanced chlorpyrifos degradation probably due to high growth on easily metabolizable compounds which in turn favors biodegradation. This strain can be used for bioremediation and ecological restoration of sites, contaminated with chlorpyrifos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]