Title: The Role and Limitations of Microorganisms, in the Conversion of Xenobiotics (IUPAC Reports on Pesticides No. 27)
Abstract: The role of microorganisms in the detoxification of pesticides is described. Basic processes of microbial conversion of pesticides are considered with characterization of the enzymes that bring about these bioconversions. Special attention is paid to the processes of microbial transformation of pesticides that lead to more recalcitrant and toxic intermediates compared to their parent compounds. Microorganisms prove to be responsible for both enhanced degradation of pesticides and formation of soil-bound pesticide residues and, conversely, their release. A few examples of such transformations are considered and causes underlying them are discussed. A separate section is devoted to the use of biotechnology in agriculture and to prospects of practical application of microorganisms for degradation of pesticides.