Brevibacillus borstelensis and Streptomyces albogriseolus have roles to play in degradation of herbicide, sulfosulfuron

Use of herbicides, in particular sulfosulfuron, at more than recommended doses has raised major concerns about the health hazards for animals and humans. In the present study, isolation of sulfosulfuron-degrading Brevibacillus borstelensis and Streptomyces albogriseolus from the field soils in the northwestern region of India was carried out where the use of sulfosulfuron is predominant, and further assessed for their potential to degrade sulfosulfuron individually and together in a consortium form under lab conditions. Concentration of sulfosulfuron was reduced from 10 to 7.72 µg/ml in 12 h to 5.13 µg/ml in 20 h by B. borstelensis and the metabolites detected by LCMS-MS were aminopyrimidine and a rearranged amine in 12 and 20 h of growth. Similarly, S. albogriseolus reduced the concentration of sulfosulfuron from 10 to 6.74 µg/ml in 12 h to 6.62 µg/ml in 20 h with aminopyrimidine and a rearranged amine as metabolites. B. borstelensis and S. albogriseolus together also reduced the concentration of sulfosulfuron from 10 µg/ml in initial hour to 8.34 µg/ml in 12 h to 6.66 µg/ml in 20 h. Hence, B. borstelensis and S. albogriseolus provide a safer, inexpensive and effective way to bio-remediate the harmful and toxic sulfosulfuron from the environment if further explored at a larger field scale in near future.