Abstract
Microorganisms plays a major role for saving our environments by degrading xenobiotic compounds chemicals wastes,
which are toxic either in their native form or modified to be toxic. Isolation of microbial strain able to degrade chemical
compounds was started usually from polluted sources, such as soil. In present study, aerobic bacteria isolated from soil
contaminated with industrial xenobiotic compounds using enrichment technique containing phenol as sole source of
carbon and energy was isolated in pure culture and selected for their ability to degrade phenol. The soil bacterium was
identified as Streptococcus epidermis coded as (OCS-B). The selected microbial strain was able to degrade phenol up to
200mg/l which was also confirmed by HPLC analysis and so can be effectively used for bioremediation of phenol
contaminated sites. Degradation intermediate compounds were also determined. Outcome of this study offer a useful
guideline in evaluating potential phenol degraders from the environment.