Microbiological degradation of the herbicide dicamba.

Pseudomonas paucimobilis was isolated from a consortium which was capable of degrading dicamba (3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid) as the sole source of carbon. The degradation of dicamba by P. paucimobilis and the consortium was examined over a range of substrate concentration, temperature, and pH. In the concentration range of 100-2000 mg dicamba L-1 (0.5-9.0 mM), the degradation was accompanied by a stoichiometric release of 2 mol of Cl- per mol of dicamba degraded. The cultures had an optimum pH 6.5-7.0 for dicamba degradation. Growth studies at 10 degrees C, 20 degrees C, and 30 degrees C yielded activation energy values in the range of 19-36 kcal mol-1 and an average of Q10 value of 4.0. Compared with the pure culture P. paucimobilis, the consortium was more active at the lower temperature.