Degradation kinetics of chlorpyrifos and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP) by fungal communities.

Fungal isolates obtained from soil were used for degrading chlorpyrifos (CP) and TCP. The percentage degradation ranged from 69.4 to 89.8 for CP and 62.2 to 92.6 for TCP after one week. The values of K(s) and V(max) were different for different isolates. The K(s) ranged from 66.66 to 169.5mg/L and V(max) from 6.56 to 40.4 mg/L/d for CP and from 53.19 to 163.9 mg/L and 3.41 to 40.40 mg/L/d, respectively, for TCP. Fungal community showed high affinity for both CP and TCP. The genetic relatedness of isolate F1 to Aspergillus sp., F2 and F3 to Penicillium sp., F4 to Eurotium sp. and F5 to Emericella sp. were confirmed. The degradation potential was in the order: F1>F2=F3>F4>F5.