Molecular Markers as Indicators of the Use of Carbofuran in Agro-Ecosystems

Determining the presence of carbofuran in agro-ecosystems is crucial due to its potential negative impacts on the environment and public health. This study aims to identify the presence and use of carbofuran using molecular markers in soil samples affected by pesticide residues. Although carbofuran is not currently in use, understanding its historical presence is important for soil management. We conducted microbial isolation, mcd gene amplification, enzymatic assays, UV-vis spectroscopy, and physicochemical soil characterization. Our results identified Pseudomonas sp. as the most prevalent microorganism. While the mcd gene was not amplified in the samples, an enzyme with a molecular weight of 70-85 kDa was detected in samples S5 and S7. UV-vis spectra revealed maximum absorbance at 254 nm in samples S1, S3, and S7. These enzymatic and spectroscopic findings suggest the potential utility of these methods for detecting carbofuran residues in agro-ecosystem soils.