ABSTRACT
For many years, organochlorine pesticides were used to combat agricultural pests and disease vectors. However, their inappropriate use has produced different forms of environmental pollution that affect soil, water, and air, presenting a risk to health and the environment due to its toxicity, bioaccumulation, volatility, and persistence.
Effective methods based on the use of microorganisms, such as natural attenuation, cell immobilization, production of biosurfactants, and bioaugmentation have been developed for the removal of chlorinated pesticides. Among the microorganisms used in bioremediation processes, actinobacteria have been highlighted because they have the ability to remove organic and inorganic pollutants. On the other hand, several researchers demonstrated that the bioaugmentation of soils with a microbial defined consortium or a native consortium increases the necessary catabolic paths for pollutant elimination, accelerating the degradation of xenobiotic compounds.
This chapter compiles works focused on the use of defined and native microbial consortia consisting of bacteria, fungi or mixtures of both, in a free or immobilized way, for the bioremediation of different organochlorine pesticides from diverse systems. In addition, the simultaneous removal of lindane, chlordane, and methoxychlor from different matrices by employing a native Streptomyces consortium is also discussed.
