A Review on In situ Biodegradation of Methyl Parathion through Soil Microbes

Orgnophosphorus pesticides (OP) were first developed in Germany by Schrader in 1930 during World War II in the form of tetraethyl pyrophosphate as a byproduct of nerve gas production (Dragun et al., 1984).Various groups of pesticide are used world over, but OP insecticides are most widely used in agriculture field for protecting the crops which are harmed due to attack of insects, bacterial, viral, and fungal pests. OP pesticides also used in homes, garden and in veterinary practices. In the United States, over 40 million kilograms of OP pesticides are applied annually (Mulchandani et al., 1999). OP pesticides are acutely toxic and act by inhibiting the acetylcholine esterase, an important enzyme in the nervous system (Kanekar et al., 2004). When animals are exposed to OP, this enzyme is unable to function causing the accumulation of acetylcholine, which interferes with the transmission of nerve impulses at the nerve endings (Synapses). OP pesticides are mobile in soil. It is hydrophilic in nature and its little amount is absorbed by soil particles. Continuous use of OP pesticides contaminates different ecosystem of the world (US EPA, 1995; ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 4 Number 5 (2015) pp. 632-649 http://www.ijcmas.com