The ability of Trichosporon cutaneum R57 to grow on and utilize some toxic compounds (phenol, acetophenone, acetone, amethylstyrene, benzoic acid, dimethyl phenyl carbinol, methanol and isopropylbenzene) as sole carbon and energy sources was studied. The growth of T cutaneum R57 in a model solution including all the contaminants mentioned above was studied and results were compared with growth curves in two types of waste waters taken from the basin of the biopurification station with active sludge, treating waters from an oil refinery and some accompanying organic products facilities, including waste water from industrial phenol production. The strain was found to grow well in both types of waste waters (inlet and outlet of the biobasin) and in the model solution. The results showed that strain T cutaneum R57 can utilize a wide range of toxic compounds simultaneously. The growth of free and immobilized cells in the waste waters from the phenol production facility after an anion-exchange (Amberlite HAD-4 resin) purification stage was also studied. The immobilized system had high vitality and adaptivity into waste water from phenol production. The highest degradation after 24 h was observed for acetone (50-60%), benzoic acid was reduced by 25-40% and phenol and dimethyl phenyl carbinol approximately by 30-45% depending on the type of the cells. Immobilized cells showed a higher ability to degrade the more toxic compounds compared to free cells. The results obtained indicate the ability of T cutaneum R57 to degrade some of the most toxic contaminants present in waste waters. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.