Biodegradation of Acetochlor by a Newly Isolated Pseudomonas Strain

A novel microbial strain JD115 capable of degrading acetochlor was isolated from the sludge of acetochlor manufacture and was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa species. This strain was able to grow on acetochlor as the sole source of both carbon and nitrogen. The biodegradation of acetochlor by strain JD115 could be described either by the pseudo-first-order or by the second-order kinetics models, while the latter gave a better performance. The strain optimally degraded acetochlor at a pH value of 7.0 and a temperature of 37 °C. Additional nutriments could greatly enhance the degradation rate of acetochlor up to 95.4 % in the presence of 50 mg acetochlor l⁻¹. The metabolite analyses by GC-MS presumed that catechol was an intermediate product of acetochlor, which was finally degraded for 5 days of incubation. This study highlights the potential use of this strain for the bioremediation of an acetochlor-polluted environment.