Isolation and molecular characterisation of malathion-degrading bacterial strains from waste water in Egypt

Efficiencies of local bacterial isolates in malathion degradation were investigated. Five bacterial isolates obtained from agricultural waste water were selected due to their ability to grow in minimal salt media, supplied with 250 ppm malathion as sole source of carbon and phosphorus. The purified bacterial isolates (MOS-1, MOS-2, MOS-3, MOS-4 and MOS-5) were characterised and identified using a combination of cellular profile (SDS-PAGE), genetic make up profile (RAPD-PCR), and morphological and biochemical characteristics. Four bacterial isolates (MOS-1, MOS-2, MOS-3 and MOS-4) with identical genetic characteristics were identified as Enterobacter aerogenes, whereas isolate MOS-5 was identified as Bacillus thuringiensis. The degradation rate of malathion in liquid culture was estimated during 15 days of incubation for the isolate MOS-5 of B. thuringiensis. Slightly more than 50% of the initial malathion was decomposed within 3 days. The malathion concentration decreased to almost 17% in the inoculated medium after 10 days incubation, while more than 91% of the initial malathion was degraded after 15 days.