Microbial Degradation of Pyridine and Pyridine Derivatives

Pyridine derivatives belong to an important class of aromatic compounds that occur largely as a result of human activities, although they are not necessarily xenobiotic compounds. Pyridines can also be derivatized to form a wide variety of xenobiotic compounds ranging from drugs to pesticides. Analogs to phenolic compounds, pyridines exhibit properties that differ in some respects to homocyclic compounds, and this may have profound effects on their biodegradation. The presence of the ring nitrogen defines the reactivity of pyridine derivatives. After 60 years of research into biodegradation of pyridine derivatives, some themes have emerged; however, new discoveries continue to change our understanding of how pyridines are degraded in the environment. This chapter brings together the current state of knowledge on the biodegradation of pyridines.