Investigation of biodegradation of phosmet organophosphorus pesticides by Pseudomonas fluorescens in batch and continuous systems

In this study, biodegradation of the phosmet with P. fluorescens was investigated in a batch stirred reactor and bed reactor. Glucose was used as carbon source in addition to pesticides. The effects of initial pH, temperature and initial pesticides concentrations on the substrate removal and specific growth rates and yields were investigated and results were compared. Optimum initial pH values were obtanied as 7 for phosmet and which optimum temperature as 40°C and 5 mg/L respectively. At higher pesticide concentrations (>5 mg/L), substrate inhibition was observed. Atexperiments, where substrate inhibition obsered, microorganism?s specific growth was implied with Haldane Equality depending on substrate concentration.Keywords: P. fluorescens, Phosmet, Biodegradation, pH, Temperature, Initial pesticide concentration.