Abstract:Along with the restriction and prohibition of use of highly toxic organophosphorus pesticides, the market share of the low toxic organophosphours pesticides represented by chlorpyrifos has increased in the recent years. However, the use of chlorpyrifos has led to generation of 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP) in the environment, because TCP is the main intermediate metabolite of chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl. It is more water soluble, more mobile in soil and more leachable into groundwater and surface water, which causes widespread contamination in soils and aquatic environment. TCP released into the environment not only inhibits the biodegradation of TCP and its parent compound chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl, but also inhibits the biodegradation of other organic pollutants and therefore further increases the residual of TCP and other organic pollutants. In this article, we summarize the chemical structure of TCP and its parent compound, the ecological toxicity of TCP, the diversity of microorganisms capable of degrading TCP, the latest research progress of the biodegradation of TCP, in order to provide the guidance for the economically feasible bioremediation strategy in chlorpyrifos and TCP contaminated area.