A bacterial strain 463 # producing epoxide hydrolase was isolated from oil-contaminated soils. It showed high enantioselectivity towards styrene oxide, and also towards glycidates, such as ethyl phenyl glycidate and ethyl benzyl glycidate. The strain was identified as Bacillus sp. The fermentation conditions for this strain were optimized. With 1% glucose as carbon source, 1% (NH 4) 2SO 4 and 0.5% beef extract as nitrogen source, Bacillus sp.463 grew well and showed high epoxide hydrolase activity. In addition, 2～10 mmol/L styrene oxide could promote the production of epoxide hydrolase.
