Chlorpyrifos: It’s bioremediation in agricultural soils

Abstract

Organophosphorous pesticides are widely used in agriculture to control major insect pests. Chlorpyrifos is one of the major organophosphorous pesticides which have been used since 1960s, to control insects including termites, beetles. The widespread use of these pesticides is hazardous to the environment and also toxic to mammals. Moreover, given the persistence and toxicity of chlorpyrifos towards life forms, it is essential to remove the same from the environment. Among many physical, chemical, and biological methods for the removal of organophosphorus pesticides from ecosystems, biodegradation is preferred because of its environmental compatibility and cost-effectiveness. Considering the havoc created by chlorpyrifos in food chain as well as in the ecosystem, it is urgent to develop a bioremediation technology for minimising its side effects. Keeping this in view, the present article is aimed to provide a detailed study on chlorpyrifos and witness the significant research conducted by various researchers for its bioremediation.