Abstract Endosulfan, an organochlorine insecticide, and its
metabolite endosulfan sulfate are persistent in environments
and are considered toxic.
We
investigate the possible
nontoxic
bioremediation of endosulfan.
An
endosulfandegrading
fungus that does not produce endosulfan sulfate
was
selected from eight species of white-rot fungi.
High
degradation
of endosulfan and low accumulation of endosulfan
sulfate were found in cultures of Trametes
hirsuta.
A
degradation
experiment using endosulfan sulfate as the substrate
revealed that T.
hirsuta
is able to further degrade
endosulfan
sulfate following the oxidative conversion of
endosulfan
to endosulfan sulfate.
Endosulfan and endosulfan
sulfate were converted to several metabolites via
hydrolytic
pathways.
In addition,
endosulfan dimethylene,
previously
reported as a metabolite of the soil bacterium
Arthrobacter
sp.,
was detected in T.
hirsuta culture
containing
endosulfan
sulfate.
Our
results
suggest
that
T.
hirsuta
has
multiple
pathways for the degradation of endosulfan and
endosulfan
sulfate and thus has great potential for use as a
biocatalyst
in endosulfan bioremediation.