Atrazine dissipation in a biobed system inoculated with immobilized white-rot fungi

Abstract

Due to the environmental concerns about the herbicide atrazine accumulation in food products and water reservoirs, there is a need to develop safe and economical methods for its dissipation. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the atrazine dissipation in a biobed system inoculated with immobilized white-rot fungi in a pelletized support (PS). All fungal isolates evaluated were efficient in colonizing the surface and inner parts of the PS and without differences observed in the colonization over the assay. The highest atrazine dissipation (93%) was observed for Stereum hirsutum Ru-104 after 60 days of incubation. In contrast, the lowest atrazine dissipation (78%) was observed for the non-inoculated biobed over identical period. Trametes versicolor HL01 was involved in the highest phenoloxidase activity. This activity indicates that inoculated and non inoculated biobed were biologically active over the incubation time. High respiration rate in biobed was observed when it was inoculated with S. hirsutum Ru-104. Inoculation of fungi on PS systems might be a coadjutant in the increasing of the fungal efficiency in enzymatic production.