More than 80% of diphenyl phthalate (DPP) at 100 mg 1(-1) was degraded by Sphingomonas chungbukensis KCTC 2955 in a mineral salts medium at pH 7.0 and 30 degrees C within 48 h. The maximum specific degradation rate was 5 mg DPP 1(-1) h(-1)supercript stop. It was rapidly converted to monophenyl phthalate and phthalic acid which were further degraded.