Screening and pilot-scale evaluation of a highly efficient pesticide-degrading Pseudomonas sp. strain BL5

Abstract

The widespread use of pesticides has caused serious harm to ecosystems, necessitating effective and environmentally friendly treatment methods. Bioremediation stands out as a promising approach for pollutant treatment, wherein the metabolic activities of microorganisms can transform toxic pesticides into compounds with lower or no toxicity. In this study, we obtained eight pesticide-degrading strains from pesticide-contaminated sites through continuous enrichment and screening. Four highly efficient pesticide-degrading strains (degradation ratios exceeding 80%) were identified. Among them, Pseudomonas sp. BL5 exhibited the strongest growth (exceeding 10⁹ CFU·ml⁻¹) and outstanding degradation of benzene derivatives and chlorinated hydrocarbons at both laboratory and pilot scales, with degradation ratios exceeding 98% and 99.6%, respectively. This research provides new tools and insights for the bioremediation of pesticide-related pollutants.