Biodegradation lindane

Okeke BC, T Siddique, MC Arbestain, WT Frankenberger (2002) Biodegradation of y-hexachlorocyclohex-ane (lindane) and a-hexachlorocyclohexane in water and a soil slurry by a Pandoraea species. J Agric Eood Chem 50 2548-2555. 

Soil. Lindane degraded rapidly in flooded rice soils (Raghu and MacRae, 1966). In moist soils, lindane biodegraded to (y-PCCH) (Eisner et al., 1972 Kearney and Kaufman, 1976 Fuhremann and Lichtenstein, 1980). Under anaerobic conditions, degradation by soil bacteria yielded y-BTC and a-BHC (Kobayashi and Rittman, 1982). Other reported biodegradation products include pentachlorocyclohexane, pentachlorobenzene, tetrachlorocyclohex-l-enes, and tetrachloro-benzenes (Moore and Ramamoorthy, 1984). Incubation of lindane for 6 wk in a sandy loam soil under flooded conditions yielded y-TCCH, y-2,3,4,5,6-pentachlorocyclohex-l-ene, and small amounts of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene, 1,2,3,5-, and/or 1,2,4,5-tetrachloro-benzene (Mathur and Saha, 1975). Incubation of lindane in moist soil for 8 wk yielded the follow-... 

Figure 7. Conformations of the BHC (HCH) isomers and recent analogues of the aaaeee (lindane) structure, some of which have additional biodegradable groups (54)...

Soil. In moist soils, lindane biodegraded to y-pentacUorocyclohexene (Eisner et al., 1972 Kearney and Kaufman, 1976 Fuhremann and Lichtenstein, 1980). Under anaerobic conditions, degradation by soil bacteria yielded y-BTC and a-BHC (Kobayashi and Ritt-man, 1982). Other reported biodegradation products include penta- and tetrachloro-1-cyclohexanes and penta- and tetrachlorobenzenes (Moore and Ramamoorthy, 1984). 

The pesticide lindane has been widely used in agriculture as a seed dressing. Using C-labeled lindane, Saha (1975) studied its biodegradation in plants and animals. He studied the residue distribution over time in chicks and eggs of pheasants fed the labeled pesticide in gelatin capsules. Pheasants were also fed treated wheat seeds. In addition, the occurrence of residue was determined in samples of brain, liver, breast muscle, and fat from five hen pheasants. 

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