ABSTRACT Endosulfan (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10‐hexachloro‐1, 5, 5a, 6, 9, 9a‐hexahydro‐6, 9‐
methano‐2, 3, 4‐benzo‐dioxathiepin‐3‐oxide) is a cyclodiene organochlorine currently
used as an insecticide all over the world and its residues are posing a serious
environmental threat. This study reports the isolation and identification of enriched
microorganisms, capable of degrading endosulfan. Enrichment was achieved by using the
insecticide as either the sole source of carbon or sulfur in parallel studies. Two strains each …

Organochlorine pesticides are one of the major groups of chemicals responsible for
environmental contamination. Endosulfan a pesticide used mainly in cashew plantation is a
highly toxic endocrine disrupter and a contact stomach poison. To study the endosulfan
degrading microorganisms, 20 soil samples were collected from five different cashew
plantations having a history of endosulfan applications. The bacterial strains were isolated
using enrichment techniques and growth kinetic studies were conducted using different …