Abstract
The fungal strain Aspergilli isolated from Indian agricultural soil was evaluated for its ability to biodegrade methyl-parathion. The study revealed that Aspergilli showed significantly better degradation at 36 hours compared to Kosakonia strains. Using HPLC-UV, HPLC-ToF, and GC-MS analysis, it was confirmed that methyl-parathion was fully transformed within 24 hours, initially hydrolyzing into p-nitrophenol followed by further biotransformation. Aspergillus niger demonstrated maximum methyl-parathion hydrolase (MPH) activity and produced rapid biotransformation. The pathway involved nitro group reduction, amine acetylation, and subsequent hydrolysis into N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) acetamide. The findings indicate a promising potential of Aspergilli in bioremediation of pesticide-contaminated soils.
