This article appeared in “California Agriculture,” Volume 57, Number 2

niversity of California-Riverside scientists have isolated microorganisms that can break down endosulfan, a persistent insecticide used on crops around the globe. The microorganism strains can be added to soil or water to significantly reduce levels of the insecticide.

“We have been successful in isolating strains that can use endosulfan as a carbon and energy source,” said William Frankenberger, director of the UCR Center for Technology Development and professor of soil science at Riverside. He added that microorganisms will rapidly degrade pollutants when they are able to use them as an energy and carbon source.

Endosulfan, an organochloride in the same family of pesticides as DDT and dieldrin, has a half-life of 9 months to 6 years. Because it lingers so long, it can enter the food chain and cause damage to the central nervous system, kidneys, liver, blood, and parathyroid gland. It can also cause birth defects and genetic mutations. The pesticide is registered for use on 60 crops in the United States, and is found in waters in 38 states.

Frankenberger’s findings indicate that the microorganism strains could be added to contaminated soils, bodies of water, insecticide waste dumps, wastewater, and stockpiles of endosulfan. His research found that one strain, Fusarium ventricosum, was able to degrade about 90 percent of 100 ppm dendosulfan within 15 days. Another strain, Pandoraea sp., degraded about 83 percent within 15 days.

The research was conducted at UC Riverside in 2001 and 2002, and published in the Journal of Environmental Quality.