BIODEGRADATION OF IMIDACLOPRID IN LIQUID MEDIA BY ANISOLATED SOIL BACTERIA CYTOBACILLUS FIRMUS STRAIN VG5V.N. Ganvir and S.J. SatheAbstract Imidacloprid (IMI), a neonicotinoid-class synthetic organic insecticide has the potential to have a negativeinfluence on ecosystems and human health, and it has been identified as an emerging pollutant in all partsof the world in recent years. Microbial degradation is an efficient, clean and environmentally acceptabletechnique over physical and chemical methods for the bioremediation of organic contaminants like IMI.Our aim was to evaluate the ability of soil isolate Cytobacillus firmus strain VG5 to degrade IMI in MSMmedium with glucose as a co-substrate. In liquid media, degradation was initially confirmed bynitratereduction test. VG5 reduced IMI into guanidine with the removal of NO2- group and showed up to 87%degradation in 7 days. Spots with different Rf values on TLC sheet were identified by HPLC and GC-MS/MS techniques as imidacloprid guanidine and 6-chloronicotinic acid based on respective standard spectraand m/z ratio. Strain VG5 showed potential to reduce pesticide pollution and further studies should beconducted to understand the degradation mechanism of IMI in soil under in- situ conditions. |