Stenotrophomonas maltophilia J2, a highly efficient pyridine-degrading bacterium, was isolated from the aerobic tank of a pesticide-contaminated wastewater treatment plant. The strain J2 demonstrated an impressive pyridine degradation rate of 98.34% ± 0.49% within 72 h, at a pyridine concentration of 1100 mg·L-1, a temperature of 30 °C, a pH of 8.0, and a NaCl concentration of 0.5%. Notably, two new pyridine metabolic intermediates, 1,3-dihydroxyacetone and butyric acid, were discovered, indicating that J2 may degrade pyridine through two di...
