3. Biodegradation of Organophosphate and Pyrethroid Pesticides by Microorganims

Major methods for the biodegradation of organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides are reviewed in this chapter. Although these methods are very promising, it is not easy to avoid fully the release of metabolites into the environment. Therefore, serious problems of soil, water and even foods contamination still exist. Despite the great benefits of pesticides to agricultural productivity, they also cause serious problems of contamination and increasingly need studies, especially in the search of compounds that are less harmful to the environment. Knowledge of the biodegradation route of pesticides and the development of new techniques that allow the improvement of these degradation pathways are essential, therefore, this chapter presents studies about the biodegradation of organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides by biological processes, focussing on the development of new enzymatic methods, especially those using bacteria and fungi. Other methods of biological degradation of organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides are also described.