Design and Fabrication of a Biomimetic Smart Material for Electrochemical Detection of Carbendazim Pesticides in Real Samples with Enhanced Selectivity.

Agricultural products are vitally important for sustaining life on earth and their production has notably grown over the years worldwide in general and in Brazil particularly. Elevating agricultural practices consequently leads to a proportionate increase in the usage of pesticides that are crucially important for enhanced crop yield and protection. These compounds have been employed excessively in alarming concentrations, causing the contamination of soil, water, and air. Additionally, they pose serious threats to human health. The current study introduces an innovative tool for producing appropriate materials coupled with an electrochemical sensor designed to measure carbendazim levels. The sensor is developed using a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) mounted on a glassy carbon electrode. This electrode is equipped with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for improved performance. The combined system demonstrates promising potential for accurately quantifying carbendazim. The morphological characteristics of the synthesized materials were investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) technique. The analytical curve was drawn using the electrochemical method in the range of 2 to 20 ppm while for HPLC 2-12 ppm; the results are presented as the maximum adsorption capacity of the MIP (82.4%) when compared with NIP (41%) using the HPLC method. The analysis conducted using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) yielded a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.0 ppm and a repeatability of 5.08% (n = 10). The results obtained from the analysis of selectivity demonstrated that the proposed electrochemical sensor is remarkably efficient for the quantitative assessment of carbendazim, even in the presence of another interferent. The sensor was successfully tested for river water samples for carbendazim detection, and recovery rates ranging from 94 to 101% were obtained for HPLC and 94 to 104% for the electrochemical method. The results obtained show that the proposed electrochemical technique is viable for the application and quantitative determination of carbendazim in any medium.

Preliminary insights on the development of a continuous-flow solar system for the photocatalytic degradation of contaminants of emerging concern in water.

The ubiquity and impact of pharmaceuticals and pesticides, as well as their residues in environmental compartments, particularly in water, have raised human and environmental health concerns. This emphasizes the need of developing sustainable methods for their removal. Solar-driven photocatalytic degradation has emerged as a promising approach for the chemical decontamination of water, sparking intensive scientific research in this field. Advancements in photocatalytic materials have driven the need for solar reactors that efficiently integrate photocatalysts for real-world water treatment. This study reports preliminary results from the development and evaluation of a solar system for TiO2-based photocatalytic degradation of intermittently flowing water contaminated with doxycycline (DXC), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), dexamethasone (DXM), and carbendazim (CBZ). The system consisted of a Fresnel-type UV solar concentrator that focused on the opening and focal point of a parabolic trough concentrator, within which tubular quartz glass reactors were fixed. Concentric springs coated with TiO2, arranged one inside the other, were fixed inside the quartz reactors. The reactors are connected to a raw water tank at the inlet and a check valve at the outlet. Rotating wheels at the collector base enable solar tracking in two axes. The substances (SMX, DXC, and CBZ) were dissolved in dechlorinated tap water at a concentration of 1.0 mg/L, except DXM (0.8 mg/L). The water underwent sequential batch (~ 3 L each, without recirculation) processing with retention times of 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min. After 15 min, the degradation rates were as follows: DXC 87%, SMX 35.5%, DXM 32%, and CBZ 31.8%. The system processed 101 L of water daily, simultaneously removing 870, 355, 256, and 318 µg/L of DXC, SMX, DXM, and CBZ, respectively, showcasing its potential for real-world chemical water decontamination application. Further enhancements that enable continuous-flow operation and integrate highly effective adsorbents and photocatalytic materials can significantly enhance system performance.

Sustainable plant-wearable sensors for on-site, rapid decentralized detection of pesticides toward precision agriculture and food safety.

The synergy between eco-friendly biopolymeric films and printed devices leads to the production of plant-wearable sensors for decentralized analysis of pesticides in precision agriculture and food safety. Herein, a simple method for fabrication of flexible, and sustainable sensors printed on cellulose acetate (CA) substrates has been demonstrated to detect carbendazim and paraquat in agricultural, water and food samples. The biodegradable CA substrates were made by casting method while the full electrochemical system of three electrodes was deposited by screen-printing technique (SPE) to produce plant-wearable sensors. Analytical performance was assessed by differential pulse (DPV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) in a linear concentration range between 0.1 and 1.0 µM with detection limits of 54.9 and 19.8 nM for carbendazim and paraquat, respectively. The flexible and sustainable non-enzymatic plant-wearable sensor can detect carbendazim and paraquat on lettuce and tomato skins, and also water samples with no interference from other pesticides. The plant-wearable sensors had reproducible response being robust and stable against multiple flexions. Due to high sensitivity and selectivity, easy operation and rapid agrochemical detection, the plant-wearable sensors can be used to detect biomarkers in human biofluids and be used in on-site analysis of other hazardous chemical substances.

Carbon-Based Electrochemical (Bio)sensors for the Detection of Carbendazim: A Review.

Carbendazim, a fungicide widely used in agriculture, has been classified as a hazardous chemical by the World Health Organization due to its environmental persistence. It is prohibited in several countries; therefore, detecting it in food and environmental samples is highly necessary. A reliable, rapid, and low-cost method uses electrochemical sensors and biosensors, especially those modified with carbon-based materials with good analytical performance. In this review, we summarize the use of carbon-based electrochemical (bio)sensors for detecting carbendazim in environmental and food matrixes, with a particular interest in the role of carbon materials. Focus on publications between 2018 and 2023 that have been describing the use of carbon nanotubes, carbon nitride, graphene, and its derivatives, and carbon-based materials as modifiers, emphasizing the analytical performance obtained, such as linear range, detection limit, selectivity, and the matrix where the detection was applied.

Optimized paper-based electrochemical sensors treated in acidic media to detect carbendazim on the skin of apple and cabbage.

Wearable sensors such as those made with paper are needed for non-destructive routine analysis of pesticides on plants, fruits, and vegetables. Herein we report on electrochemical sensors made with screen-printed carbon electrodes on kraft and parchment papers to detect the fungicide carbendazim. A systematic optimization was performed to find that electrochemical sensors on kraft paper treated in an acidic medium led to the highest performance, with a detection limit of 0.06 µM for carbendazim. The enhanced sensitivity for this sensor was attributed to the porous nature of kraft paper, which allowed for a large electrode surface area, and to the carboxylic groups formed during electrochemical activation. As a proof-of-concept, the electrochemical sensor attached to the skin of apple and cabbage was used to detect carbendazim with the same performance as the gold standard method, thus demonstrating that the sensor can be used in the farm and on supermarket shelves.

Untargeted Metabolomics Reveals Lipid Impairment in the Liver of Adult Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Exposed to Carbendazim.

Carbendazim is a systemic fungicide used in several countries, particularly in Brazil. However, studies suggest that it is related to the promotion of tumors, endocrine disruption, and toxicity to organisms, among other effects. As a result, carbendazim is not allowed in the United States, Australia, and some European Union countries. Therefore, further studies are necessary to evaluate its effects, and zebrafish is a model routinely used to provide relevant information regarding the acute and long-term effects of xenobiotics. In this way, zebrafish water tank samples (water samples from aquari containing zebrafish) and liver samples from animals exposed to carbendazim at a concentration of 120 µg/L were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry, followed by multivariate and univariate statistical analyses, using the metabolomics approach. Our results suggest impairment of lipid metabolism with a consequent increase in intrahepatic lipids and endocrine disruption. Furthermore, the results suggest two endogenous metabolites as potential biomarkers to determine carbendazim exposure. Finally, the present study showed that it is possible to use zebrafish water tank samples to assess the dysregulation of endogenous metabolites to understand biological effects. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:437-448. © 2022 SETAC.

Potential of Salvinia biloba Raddi for removing atrazine and carbendazim from aquatic environments.

In this exploratory study, naturally occurring Salvinia biloba Raddi specimens were assessed for atrazine and carbendazim polluted water remediation. Experiments were carried out over 21 days in glass vessels containing deionized water artificially contaminated with 0, 5, 10, and 20 mg L-1 of atrazine or carbendazim. Atrazine had a pronounced detrimental impact on S. biloba, as no biomass development was observed in all macrophytes exposed to this herbicide in the entire concentration range. However, carbendazim-treated plants were able to grow and survive in the polluted medium even when subjected to the highest concentration of this fungicide (i.e., 20 mg L-1). In addition, increased chlorosis and necrosis were also detected in plants subjected to carbendazim as a result of the high phytotoxicity caused by atrazine. A maximal removal efficiency of ~ 30% was observed for both pesticides at 5 mg L-1 and decreased with increasing concentrations of the pollutants. The spectrum of the FTIR-ATR analysis revealed the existence of various functional groups (e.g., amide, carboxyl, hydroxyl, phosphate, sulfate) on the plants, which could be related to pesticide biosorption. In addition, at the end of the 21-day assay, seven carbendazim-resistant bacteria could be isolated from the roots of fungicide-treated plants. Therefore, the use of autochthonous free-floating S. biloba macrophytes for phytoremediation of aquatic environments contaminated with carbendazim shows great promise. Still, additional research is required to further elucidate the plant-mediated carbendazim elimination process and the role of the herbicide-resistant bacteria, and seek alternative species capable of mitigating atrazine contamination.

Degradation of carbendazim in aqueous solution by different settings of photochemical and electrochemical oxidation processes.

The present study analyzed the performance of photochemical and electrochemical techniques in the degradation and mineralization of the pesticide carbendazim (CBZ). Direct photolysis (DP), heterogeneous photocatalysis (HP), photoelectrocatalysis (PEC), and electrochemical oxidation (EO) were tested, and the influence of UV radiation, current density (j), and supporting electrolyte concentration were evaluated. The results suggest that CBZ is only degraded by DP when UV-C254nm is used. For HP, the CBZ degradation was observed both when UV-A365nm or UV-C254nm were used, which is related to the reactive oxygen species (ROS) formed by the photocatalytic activity (photon-ROS). Neither DP nor HP were able to mineralize CBZ, demonstrating its resistance to photomediated processes. For EO, regardless of the j, there were higher CBZ degradation and mineralization than those observed when using DP and HP. The increase in the supporting electrolyte concentration (Na2SO4) did not affect the levels of degradation and mineralization of CBZ. Concerning the PEC, a CBZ mineralization of 52.2% was accomplished. These findings demonstrate that the EO is the main pathway for CBZ mineralization, suggesting an additional effect of the electro-ROS on the photon-ROS and UV-C254nm. The values of mineralization, kinetics, and half-life show that PEC UV-C254nm with a j of 15 mA cm-2 was the best setting for the degradation and mineralization of CBZ. However, when the values of specific energy consumption were considered for industrial applications, the use of EO with a j of 3 mA cm-2 and 4 g L-1 of Na2SO2 becomes more attractive. The assessment of by-products formed after this best cost-efficient treatment setting revealed the presence of aromatic and aliphatic compounds from CBZ degradation. Acute phytotoxicity results showed that the presence of sodium sulfate can be a representative factor regarding the toxicity of samples treated in electrochemical systems.

Wearable sensors made with solution-blow spinning poly(lactic acid) for non-enzymatic pesticide detection in agriculture and food safety.

On-site monitoring the presence of pesticides on crops and food samples is essential for precision and post-harvest agriculture, which demands nondestructive analytical methods for rapid, low-cost detection that is not achievable with gold standard methods. The synergy between eco-friendly substrates and printed devices may lead to wearable sensors for decentralized analysis of pesticides in precision agriculture. In this paper we report on a wearable non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor capable of detecting carbamate and bipyridinium pesticides on the surface of agricultural and food samples. The low-cost devices (

A semi-quantitative model through PLS-DA in the evaluation of carbendazim in grape juices.

Carbendazim (CBZ) is a fungicide employed in grape crop disease controls, and its maximum residue limit in food is regulated by specialized agencies. This study aimed to determine the CBZ content in the grape juices in a semi-quantitative classification model based on portable Ultraviolet-Visible spectroscopy and partial least squares with discriminant analysis. The sensitivity and specificity of the obtained model ranged from 83 to 100%, with the external validation set. These results are therefore promising for industrial application, and the model presents robustness for the evaluation of grape juices produced from a different grape variety. The VIP scores allowed identifying important variables involved in class modeling. This study suggests a methodology that is fast and demands minimal sample preparation (only dilution), besides being less expensive compared to the traditional methods, free of reagent/solvent, contributing to quality control in the juice industry.

Temporal and spatial analysis of benomyl/carbendazim in water and its possible impact on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from Tenango dam, Puebla, Mexico.

Activities like agriculture contribute to the pollution of aquatic systems by fungicides, such as benomyl/carbendazim. This chemical inhibits the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), having teratogenic, oncogenic, reproductive, and hepatic effects on aquatic and soil organisms. This paper presents the results of a study conducted in the Tenango dam, Mexico, aimed at detecting and determining the spatial and temporal variability of benomyl/carbendazim fungicide in the dam's water and its possible impact on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), farmed and commercialized in the site. Five site visits were made during 2015. Benomyl/carbendazim was quantified at 34 georeferenced stations. Thirty O. niloticus specimens were collected per visit. The quality of water and O. niloticus specimens was evaluated according to the Mexican standards. The fungicide concentrations in the O. niloticus muscle and the AChE activity were measured. Seasonal and spatial variations of benomyl/carbendazim were determined using geostatistical methods (ordinary kriging [OK] and universal kriging [UK]). Geostatistical analyses demonstrated that agriculture contributes to the increased amounts of the chemical in specific areas. Even though the fungicide levels in water varied over time, they did not represent a risk to O. niloticus according to the current standards. The specimens met the quality criteria for their commercialization; however, they had low weights and small sizes. The benomyl/carbendazim concentration in the muscle increased with the size and exhibited a negative correlation with the AChE activity, thus indicating a potential harmful effect.

Reproductive toxicity in male juvenile rats: Antagonistic effects between isolated agrochemicals and in binary or ternary combinations.

The management of agrochemicals in Brazilian agriculture impacts global environmental sustainability and food security, since this country is one of the major agro-food exporters in the world. Acephate, carbendazim, and dithiocarbamates (DTCs) such as mancozeb, are among the most detected agrochemicals in Brazilian agro-food products, occurring in combination in several crops, especially in fruit cultures. The present study evaluated the impact of the exposure to isolated agrochemicals and all the combined possible mixtures (binary and ternary forms) on the reproductive parameters of male juvenile rats, known to be a vulnerable biological system and developmental window. Data were analyzed using Generalized Linear Models (GzLM), considering each agrochemical as an independent factor. The study revealed higher reproductive toxicity exerted by isolated agrochemicals when compared to the combined treatments, which exhibited mostly an antagonistic effect. Results suggest endocrine disruptive effects of each one separately on the weight of reproductive organs and testicular histomorphometry, besides changes in testicular SOD activity. The full factorial experimental design employed here allowed us to conclude that it is not possible to scale-up the effects of the isolated treatments to the mixtures, showing how difficult it is to know beforehand the response and cross-talk among the multiple physiological mechanisms disturbed by complex mixtures. Considering that food products are shared on a global scale and that some of these three agrochemicals have already been prohibited in EU countries, the consumption of some Brazilian products puts global human health at risk, that of children.

Study of the interaction Cu(II) - Carbendazim in natural waters by electrochemical techniques.

In order to obtain higher agricultural yields, the use of chemical substances has been increased to prevent the proliferation of pests, as well as ensuring durability in the storage of the food produced. Such substances are known as pesticides that may well present risks to human health and the environment. In the presence of metal ions, these substances can interact forming new species with different characteristics. Carbendazim (MBC) is an example of a harmful pesticide, which has atoms of nitrogen and oxygen in its structure that can form complexes with metal ions. Thus, in this work has studied the interaction between the copper (II) metal ion and carbendazim and its formation in natural water. The Cu-MBC complex showed a reduction peak of 0.007 V and an oxidation peak of 0.500 V, with characteristics of a quasi-reversible process under a glassy carbon electrode. By anodic stripping voltammetry, a different behavior was observed in the interaction of copper and carbendazim in ultrapure water and Billings dam water; however, it was possible to observe the complex in both samples. Carbendazim in the presence of the metal shows lower oxidation potential value, indicating the influence of the metal on the electrochemical response of the pesticide.

Degradation kinetics of carbendazim by Klebsiella oxytoca, Flavobacterium johnsoniae, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strains.

The fungicide carbendazim is an ecotoxic pollutant frequently found in water reservoirs. The ability of microorganisms to remove pollutants found in diverse environments, soil, water, or air is well documented. Although microbial communities have many advantages in bioremediation processes, in many cases, those with the desired capabilities may be slow-growing or have low pollutant degradation rates. In these cases, the manipulation of the microbial community through enrichment with specialized microbial strains showing high specific growth rates and high rates and efficiencies of pollutant degradation is desirable. In this work, bacteria of the genera Klebsiella, Flavobacterium, and Stenotrophomonas, isolated from the biofilm attached to the packed zones of a biofilm reactor, were able to grow individually in selective medium containing carbendazim. In the three bacteria studied, the mheI gene encoding the first enzyme involved in the degradation of the fungicide carbendazim was found. Studying the dynamics of growth and carbendazim degradation of the three bacteria, the effect of co-formulants was also evaluated. The pure compound and a commercial formulation of carbendazim were used as substrates. Finally, the study made it possible to define the biokinetic advantages of these strains for amendment of microbial communities.

Pesticides in Surface Waters in Argentina Monitored Using Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers.

Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS) were deployed in two watersheds in Córdoba province and one watershed in Buenos Aires province in Argentina. The fungicides, tebuconazole, carbendazim and azoxystrobin, and the herbicides, atrazine, dicamba and 2,4-D were detected in POCIS deployed in each of the three watersheds. Estimated time weighted average concentrations of atrazine were greater than 2 µg/L at the outflow of Brava Lake in Buenos Aires province, and this concentration exceeds the Canadian water quality guideline for protection of aquatic life. The concentrations of all other pesticides were less than 400 ng/L. The distribution of pesticides detected in surface waters indicated that the sources were runoff from agricultural and urban lands and discharges from wastewater treatment plants.

Disposable pipette extraction using a selective sorbent for carbendazim residues in orange juice.

In this work, a selective sorbent for carbendazim was prepared by the thermal immobilization of the poly(glycidoxypropylmethyl-co-dimethylsiloxane), PGDMS, on silica. The lab-made Si(PGDMS) sorbent was physicochemically and morphologically characterized and was used into the pipette tip for the disposable pipette extraction (DPX) of carbendazim residues of orange juice. The DPX method was optimized from a central composite design and validated according to the SANTE/11813/2017 document recommended by the European Union. The proposed method presented recoveries between 93 and 110% with RSD <16% and the limit of quantification below the MRL for carbendazim in citrus. The whole sample preparation process was carried out at less than 3 min, with good accuracy and precision without the need of any cleanup step or electrical equipment, allowing its portability for the extraction of carbendazim residues in orange juice.

Carbendazim induces death in alveolar epithelial cells: A comparison between submerged and at the air-liquid interface cell culture.

The fungicide Carbendazim is widely used in agriculture and preservation of films and fibers. In mammals, it can promote germ cell mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and reproductive toxicity. However, few data about the effects of this toxicant upon the respiratory system are available. In this work, we evaluated Carbendazim toxicity upon A549 alveolar cells both in monolayer and upon air-liquid interface cell system. Monolayer cell exposed to non-cytotoxic concentrations of this fungicide showed cell arrest at G2/M phase, and did not show additional alterations. On the other hand, alveolar 3D reconstructed epithelial model (air-liquid interface cell system) was characterized and exposed to IC25 of Carbendazim using the Vitrocell® Cloud 12 chamber. Expression of Active Caspase-3, α-tubulin and ROS was significantly increased after such exposure. Mitochondrial activity was also reduced after exposed to Carbendazim. The obtained results indicate that besides the environmental and reproductive toxicity concerns regarding Carbendazim exposure, pulmonary toxicity must be considered for this fungicide. In addition, we observed that the way of exposure impacts considerably on the cell response for in vitro assessment of chemicals inhalation toxicity profile.

Biomarker responses (serum biochemistry) in pregnant female wistar rats and histopathology of their neonates exposed prenatally to pesticides

Experiments were conducted to investigate the effects on health of pregnant female rats exposed to pesticides glyphosate and carbendazim. Glyphosate is used as herbicide and carbendazim as a fungicide; all are commercially available readily for various agricultural and domestic purposes. The hypothesis tested in this investigation is that pesticide exposure during pregnancy causes changes in biomarker responses like serum glucose level, total protein, total cholesterol, triglycerides, SGOT, SGPT, and billirubin level. Significant changes were observed in all above biomarker responses, when compared with the reference. Histopathology of skin and kidney of rat neonates showed marked damage. Degenerative changes and vacuolization with eroded capsule were observed in kidney sample and thinning of epidermis in skin sample was seen in pesticides exposed neonates of rats. The serum biochemistry and histopathological findings are valuable markers for observing the changes caused by pesticide exposure.

Biodegradation of the fungicide carbendazim by bacteria from Coriandrum sativum L rhizosphere / Biodegradação do agrotóxico carbendazim por bactérias da rizosfera de Coriandrum sativum L

The biocidal agrochemicals commonly used in agriculture can remain in the soil, affecting the environmental conditions and causing serious risks to health. Knowing that soil microorganisms, especially those from the rhizosphere, can degrade environmental xenobiotics, it was evaluated the potential of bacteria isolated from Coriandrum sativum L. rhizosphere to biodegrade carbendazim (MBC), a fungicide extensively used by agriculturists from rural farming communities in Manaus, Amazonas. Cultures carried out in medium containing carbendazim as a sole carbon source enabled the isolation of 80 bacteria, in the established conditions. Assays to determine degradation potential allowed the selection of the two elite isolates identified as Stenotrophomonas sp. and Ochrobactrum sp. Quantitative assays with each strain individually or in consortium, were carried out using minimal salt medium added with carbendazim (250 µg mL-1) and incubated at 30°C, under agitation (125 rpm) for 21 days. Samples used in the biodegradation test were HPLC analyzed for final fungicide quantitation. The Stenotrophomonas sp. strain was more efficient (68.9%) to degrade carbendazim and showed no toxicity in tests with Artemia salina.

Agrotóxicos são comumente utilizados na produção agrícola, podendo persistir no solo, afetar a qualidade do ambiente e causar sérios riscos à saúde. Sabendo-se que micro-organismos do solo, principalmente aqueles da rizosfera, podem degradar produtos xenobióticos avaliou-se o potencial de bactérias isoladas da rizosfera de Coriandrum sativum L. em degradar carbendazim, um fungicida usado extensivamente em comunidades de agricultores rurais em Manaus, Amazonas. Procedimentos de cultivo em meio, contendo carbendazim como única fonte de carbono, mostraram que 80 bactérias cresceram nas condições estabelecidas. Ensaios de eficiência de degradação permitiram a seleção dos dois melhores isolados que foram identificados como Stenotrophomonas sp. e Ochrobactrum sp. Os ensaios quantitativos, com cada cepa individualmente e com as duas em consórcio, foram conduzidos em meio mínimo contendo sais, acrescido de carbendazim (250 µg mL-1) e incubados a 30°C, 125 rpm, por 21 dias. A quantificação final do fungicida nas amostras do ensaio de biodegradação foi realizada em HPLC. A linhagem Stenotrophomonas sp. apresentou maior eficiência, degradando 68,9% do total de carbendazim e não apresentou toxicidade nos testes realizados com Artemia salina.

Biodegradation of the fungicide carbendazim by bacteria from Coriandrum sativum L. rhizosphere / Biodegradação do agrotóxico carbendazim por bactérias da rizosfera de Coriandrum sativum L.

The biocidal agrochemicals commonly used in agriculture can remain in the soil, affecting the environmental conditions and causing serious risks to health. Knowing that soil microorganisms, especially those from the rhizosphere, can degrade environmental xenobiotics, it was evaluated the potential of bacteria isolated from Coriandrum sativum L. rhizosphere to biodegrade carbendazim (MBC), a fungicide extensively used by agriculturists from rural farming communities in Manaus, Amazonas. Cultures carried out in medium containing carbendazim as a sole carbon source enabled the isolation of 80 bacteria, in the established conditions. Assays to determine degradation potential allowed the selection of the two elite isolates identified as Stenotrophomonas sp. and Ochrobactrum sp. Quantitative assays with each strain individually or in consortium, were carried out using minimal salt medium added with carbendazim (250 µg mL-1) and incubated at 30C, under agitation (125 rpm) for 21 days. Samples used in the biodegradation test were HPLC analyzed for final fungicide quantitation. The Stenotrophomonas sp. strain was more efficient (68.9%) to degrade carbendazim and showed no toxicity in tests with Artemia salina.(AU)

Agrotóxicos são comumente utilizados na produção agrícola, podendo persistir no solo, afetar aqualidade do ambiente e causar sérios riscos à saúde. Sabendo-se que micro-organismos do solo,principalmente aqueles da rizosfera, podem degradar produtos xenobióticos avaliou-se o potencial debactérias isoladas da rizosfera de Coriandrum sativum L. em degradar carbendazim, um fungicida usadoextensivamente em comunidades de agricultores rurais em Manaus, Amazonas. Procedimentos de cultivoem meio, contendo carbendazim como única fonte de carbono, mostraram que 80 bactérias cresceram nascondições estabelecidas. Ensaios de eficiência de degradação permitiram a seleção dos dois melhoresisolados que foram identificados como Stenotrophomonas sp. e Ochrobactrum sp. Os ensaios quantitativos,com cada cepa individualmente e com as duas em consórcio, foram conduzidos em meio mínimo contendosais, acrescido de carbendazim (250 μg mL-1) e incubados a 30°C, 125 rpm, por 21 dias. A quantificaçãofinal do fungicida nas amostras do ensaio de biodegradação foi realizada em HPLC. A linhagemStenotrophomonas sp. apresentou maior eficiência, degradando 68,9% do total de carbendazim e nãoapresentou toxicidade nos testes realizados com Artemia salina.(AU)