Isolation of a bacterial consortium able to degrade the fungicide thiabendazole: the key role of a Sphingomonas phylotype.

Thiabendazole (TBZ) is a fungicide used in fruit-packaging plants. Its application leads to the production of wastewaters requiring detoxification. In the absence of efficient treatment methods, biological depuration of these effluents could be a viable alternative.

Novel insights into the metabolic pathway of iprodione by soil bacteria.

Microbial degradation constitutes the key soil dissipation process for iprodione. We recently isolated a consortium, composed of an Arthrobacter sp. strain C1 and an Achromobacter sp.

Dissipation, metabolism and sorption of pesticides used in fruit-packaging plants: Towards an optimized depuration of their pesticide-contaminated agro-industrial effluents.

Wastewaters from the fruit-packaging industry constitute a serious point source contamination with pesticides. In the absence of effective depuration methods, they are discharged in municipal wastewater treatment plants or spread to land. Modified biobeds could be an applicable solution for their treatment.

The impact of biofumigation and chemical fumigation methods on the structure and function of the soil microbial community.

Biofumigation (BIOF) is carried out mainly by the incorporation of brassica plant parts into the soil, and this fumigation activity has been linked to their high glucosinolate (GSL) content. GSLs are hydrolyzed by the endogenous enzyme myrosinase to release isothiocyanates (ITCs). A microcosm study was conducted to investigate the effects induced on the soil microbial community by the incorporation of broccoli residues into soil either with (BM) or without (B) added myrosinase and of chemical fumigation, either as soil application of 2-phenylethyl ITC (PITC) or metham sodium (MS).