Bioremediations of cadmium by endophytic bacterium (EB) L14 (Bacillus sp.) in the presence of industrially used metabolic inhibitors (DCC or DNP) were investigated. In the presence of DCC or DNP, the biomass population of ER L14 was greatly inhibited. However, the cadmium removal of ER L14 increased from 73.6% (in the absence of DCC or DNP) to 93.7% and 80.8%, respectively. The analysis of total and intracellular cadmium concentrations during 24 h of incubation indicated that this enhanced cadmium removal was the inhibition effect of DCC or DNP on the cations export resistance system of ER L14. This unique property strongly indicated the superiority of this endophyte for practical application in cadmium bioremediation in the presence of industrially used metabolic inhibitors. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.