Enhanced biodegradation of carbofuran by Pseudomonas sp. strain SAB2 through multivariate process statistical optimization

Abstract

Carbofuran is a N-methyl carbamate pesticide that is used for pest control in many countries including Nigeria. The pesticide has been classified as acutely toxic and as such its persistence in the environment for a long time can be detrimental to the environment. Pseudomonas sp. strain SAB2 (PX375346) was isolated and identified from contaminated farmland soil in research conducted previously. A statistical optimization tool was used to optimize the degradation efficiency of strain SAB2. The degradation efficiency of the isolate is determined by the various factors affecting its growth and as such Plackett–Burman Design was applied in other to limit the factors to only significant in other to manage resources, PBD was able to identify the factors: temperature, pH, inoculum size, and carbon source as significant factors affecting the isolate`s degradation efficiency. The optimum temperature, pH, inoculum size and carbon source (sucrose) found was: 38°C, 6, 0.5% and 1.25 g/L respectively. Second order polynomial regression model showed the best fit to the experimental data with an R² value (0.9907), adjusted R² (0.9821), predicted R² (0.9547) and F value (114.61) which means the model has strong predictive capability. The results found demonstrate the metabolic capability of Pseudomonas sp. strain SAB2 for carbofuran biodegradation. This study highlights the promise of strain SAB2 as a candidate for environmentally sustainable remediation of carbofuran-contaminated sites and provides a framework for further scale-up and field-level application.