ABSTRACT
The imprudent use of xenobiotics to control pest infestation for the high yield of crops causes dangerous impacts on diverse living organisms in their respective environment. The toxic residues of these highly hazardous compounds have created a route into the underground water system and polluted drinking water. Hence, extensive use of pesticides causes severe threats to all living and non-living organisms in different ways. The biodegradation method is considered as one of the efficient, inexpensive, and valuable methods compared to the other ones in which hazardous pollutants are eliminated from the ecosystem by applying different microbial species and their biologically active products, such as proteins, enzymes, and genes. The bacterial and fungal enzymes can degrade the hazardous substances existing in the agroecosystem and transform them into less toxic products via their catalytic reaction mechanisms. Laccase, esterase, monooxygenase, peroxidase, hydrolases, and carboxylesterases are the foremost microbial enzymes that actively take part in the remediation of the majority of the hazardous substances accumulated in the ecosystem. Recently, various immobilizations and genetic engineering practices have been established to improve enzyme efficiency and reduce the process cost for pesticides degradation. This book chapter highlighted the enzymatic degradation of xenobiotics in the agroecosystem. Through enzymatic degradation, current developments and further expansion for effective degradation of pesticides and other harmful pollutants, such as dyes, heavy metals, and plastics, would be efficiently achieved.
