Four bacteria capable of using aniline as a sole source of carbon and energy we4e isolated from river waters. Among them, two strains were identified as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia based on their physiological and biochemical characteristics and 16SrRNA gene sequence and the others as delftia acidovorans. The four strains were able to grow on the mineral salt media containing aniline at concentrations up to 6,000 $mu extrm{g}$/ml. Since aniline degradation by S. maltophilia has not been reported so far, the two strains A-s and 51-4 were selected for further studies. They completely utilized aniline in a mineral salt medium containing 300 $mu extrm{g}$/ml of aniline as a sole carbon and energy source within 24 hours. Optimum pH and temperature for aniline degradation and cell growth of both strains were 7.0 and $35^{circ}C$, respectively. In addition, they effectively degraded aniline is waste, underground and river waters containing 300 $mu extrm{g}$/ml of aniline. This is the first report of aniline degradation by S. maltophilia strains.