Degradation of three benzonitrile herbicides by <i>Aminobacter</i><scp>MSH1</scp> versus soil microbial communities: pathways and kinetics

Abstract

The degradation pathway of the three benzonitriles is initially driven by similar enzymes, after which more specific enzymes are responsible for further degradation. Ioxynil and bromoxynil mineralization in soil is not dependent on previous benzonitrile exposure. The accumulation of dead-end metabolites, as seen for dichlobenil, is not a major problem.