Phenanthrene degradation by Pseudomonas mendocina CGMCC 1.766, a new phenanthrene-degrading strain, was investigated in this work. When cells were grown on 20, 50, 100 and 200 mg 1(-1) of phenanthrene, the doubling time was 18.3, 19.8, 21.0 and 20.3 h and the growth yield during exponential phase was 242, 271, 221 and 206 mg protein (g phenanthrene)(-1), respectively. High level accumulation of the intermediate metabolite 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (1H2N) up to approximate to 94% of its theoretical yield was observed. Dynamic profiles of the activities of two key enzymes, i.e. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) dioxygenase (PDO) and catechol-2,3-oxygenase (C23O), during the biodegradation were revealed and the results suggest a delicate mechanism in the regulation of these phenanthrene-degrading enzymes in this strain. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.