Triphenyltin (TPT), an endocrine disruptor, is polluting the global environment through its worldwide use. However, information concerning the mechanisms of TPT biodegradation and cellular metabolism is severely limited. Therefore, these processes were elucidated through experiments involving TPT biosorption and degradation, intracellular metabolite analysis, nutrient use, ion and monosaccharide release, cellular membrane permeability and protein concentration quantification. The results verified that TPT was initially adsorbed by the cell surface of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and was subsequently transported and degraded intracellularly with diphenyltin and monophenyltin production. Cl-, Na+, arabinose and glucose release, membrane permeability and the extracellular protein concentration increased during TPT treatment, whereas K+ and PO43- utilization and intracellular protein concentration declined. The biosorption, degradation and removal efficiencies of TPT at 0.5 mg L-1 by 0.3 g L-1 viable cells at 10 d were 3.8, 77.8 and 86.2%, respectively, and the adsorption efficiency by inactivated cells was 72.6%. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.