Malathion Degradation by Pseudomonas Using Activated Sludge Treatment System (Biosimulator)

This study was aimed at determining the growth kinetics and degradation potential of malathion by inoculation of the bacterial culture. Growth kinetics studies of Pseudomonas were determined by SPC technique using 4.0 mg L 1 dissolved oxygen (DO) in sterile undiluted nutrient broth and sterile diluted (1:10) nutrient broth, whereas the degradation studies were determined using high pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) techniques, which were conducted using continuous cultivation technique with similar DO level as that of growth kinetic studies using biosimulator, with two different set of conditions (with-culture; using pure culture of Pseudomonas and without-culture; indigenous microorganisms). A critical comparison of data revealed that at each sampling hour the viable population density was greater in the presence of undiluted nutrient broth than in the presence of diluted nutrient broth. Similarly the mean of degradation studies revealed that malathion degradation was more pronounced in studies with inoculation (with-culture) as compared with indigenous bacteria (without-culture). The study demonstrated that inoculation of bacterial culture studied under laboratory conditions can be used in bioremediation of environmental pollution caused by pesticides.