Inductive effects of environmental concentration of atrazine onEscherichia coli andEnterococcus faecalis

• Published in: Folia microbiologica Vol. 50; no. 4; pp. 283 - 287
• Main Authors: Koutsotoli, A. D., Dimou, D. S., Alamanos, Y. P., Maipa, V. E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Nature B.V 01-07-2005
• Subjects: Atrazine; Bacteria; Colonies; Degradation products; Environmental effects; Herbicides; Inoculation; Microbiology; Population levels; Selective media; Soybeans
• ISSN: 0015-5632; 1874-9356
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02931407

Atrazine solutions (0.1, 1, 10 and 100 µg/L) inoculated withEscherichia coli andEnterococcus faecalis under natural conditions significantly increased (p ≤ 0.05) the population levels of both test bacteria; it indicates the ability of bacterial cells to degrade atrazine and to use the original compound or its degradation products as nutrient(s). In some cases, alterations in the morphology of the colonies were also observed on selective solid media. Biochemical differentiation was also found and, on the other hand, a loss of culturability was recorded; this suggests that bacteria have entered in a viable but nonculturable state. A re-appearance of the colonies occurred after inoculation on tryptone-soy agar with atrazine.