A novel procedure for the study of the biodegradation kinetics of styrene is proposed in this paper. Microbial growth tests in the presence of styrene were performed using suspensions of microorganisms prepared from samples of filter bed material. This material had been directly withdrawn previously from an operating biofilter employed for the removal of styrene vapours from air. The kinetics tests were initiated immediately after transfer of filter bed samples from the active styrene filter bed to sealed flasks containing a mineral-based medium, and were performed in such a manner that no enrichment technique or lag phase treatment was necessary to activate the desired biodegradation of styrene. The complete biodegradation of freshly introduced styrene was observed within a few hours of the filter bed's initial contact with the active microbial suspension. A novel theoretical development, as proposed in this study, has provided us with the means for estimating the yield coefficient of the biomass with respect to the styrene consumed and the kinetic coefficients of the growth rate without having to perform any analyses of the liquid phase after start-up of the growth tests. Only monitoring of the styrene and carbon dioxide concentrations in the liquid and gas phases in the test flasks was necessary. The Haldane model, with inhibition expected at high styrene concentrations, was found to be the best to represent the biodegradation kinetics of styrene in this environment. (c) 2005 Society of Chemical Industry.