Treatment of Pesticide-Contaminated Water Using a Selected Fungal Consortium: Study in a Batch and Packed-Bed Bioreactor

This study provides the basis for implementing a continuous treatment system wastewater containing pesticide mixture formed by atrazine, iprodione, and chlorpyrifos. Two fungal strains (Verticilium sp. H5 Metacordyceps H12) isolated from biomixture of biopurification were able to remove different concentrations (10 50 mg L−1) efficiently liquid medium; however, half-life pesticides was reduced characterized T1/2 5.4 9.2 d 3.7 5.8 2.6 2.9 chlorpyrifos using consortium. The immobilization consortium in alginate bead effective, with highest removal observed an inoculum concentration 30% wv−1. packed-bed reactor immobilized consortium, which operated mode at flow rates (30, 60, 90 mL h−1), required approximately 10 achieve efficiency (atrazine: 59%; iprodione: 96%; chlorpyrifos: ~85%). bioreactor sensitive rate fluctuations but recover performance quickly. metabolites hydroxyatrazine, 3,5-dichloroaniline, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol produced, slight accumulation observed. Nevertheless, maintained until ended (60 d).