Research Article
Vijayalakshmi P. and Usha M. S
Abstract
Pseudomonas putida isolated from an agricultural soil was used for degradation of chlorpyrifos in free and immobilized condition. Free cells of Pseudomonas putida were able to show 76% degradation of pesticide at 2% concentration at pH 7, temperature 35°C, 10 ml of inoculum size, shaking speed of 150 rpm and in presence of 200 mg/l glucose and 300 mg/l yeast extract. With further increase in pesticide concentration efficiency of free cells reduced. Efficiencies of the immobilized cells were better compared to free cells. When Ca-alginate immobilized cells were used for degradation studies, 96% degradation was recorded at 2% pesticide concentration. At 10% concentration of pesticide, free cells could show only 43% degradation, whereas immobilized cells could show 63% degradation of the pesticide.