DISSIPATION OF PENDIMETHALIN BY Bacillus megaterium

One strain of microorganisms was isolated from soil previously treated with pendimethalin using enrichment technique and identified as Bacillus megaterium (E22). The effect of pH and temperature on the growth ability of the tested strain was investigated. The results showed that the optimum pH and temperature for the growth of pendimethalin degrading strain were 7 and 30 °C, respectively. Some concentration of pendimethalin was removed by B. megaterium remove from mineral liquid medium with half-life of 5.6 days. Pendimethalin half-life was 53.4 days in untreated mineral liquid medium as control. Also, there is no toxicity of pendimethalin detected on Rhizobium leguminsarum biovar viciae as test microorganism in the supernatant after 28 day of treatment with B. megaterium. The results suggest that bioremediation by B. megaterium isolate was considered to be effective method for detoxification of pendimethalin herbicidein aqueous media.