About the book
The transformation or degradation of pesticides refers to changes in the chemical nature of molecules by physical (photodecomposition), chemical (oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, water-insoluble salts and chemical complexes) or biological (microbiological degradation or biodegradation) processes. The transformation can be complete, giving rise to CO2, H2O and mineral salts process called mineralization or incomplete, giving rise to metabolites, receiving the name metabolization. Processing is generally important because it reduces the level of pesticide residue in the environment. Despite this, there are many challenges in this area, mainly due to the heterogeneity of ecosystems and the structure of pesticides. With the growing awareness of pesticide toxicity, which are difficult to degrade and microorganisms being the main responsible for the biodegradation of pesticides in soils, new research and discoveries on biodegradation and bioremediation will contribute to a better understanding, prevention and monitoring of pesticide persistence in the soil.
The chapters of this book will address the biodegradation processes of pesticides in water and soil, in addition to microplastics, inorganic compounds, among others.
