A gram-negative Novosphingobium sp. strain FND-3 capable of degrading carbofuran was isolated and characterized. The carbofuran-degrading ability of strain FND-3 was investigated under various culture conditions. Strain FND-3 showed a high average carbofuran-degrading rate of 28.6 mg L(-1) h(-1) in mineral salts medium with 100 mg L(-1) carbofuran. GC/MS analysis pointed out the presence of several unknown metabolites. One hydrolyzate was identified as 2-hydroxy-3-(3-methypropan-2-ol) phenol via hydrolysis of carbofuran phenol. The appearance of another metabolite with M(+) of 180 m/z indicated that the hydroxylation of carbofuran occurred at the aromatic ring. One novel degrading product with M(+) of 239 m/z was identified as 2-hydroxy-3-(3-methylpropan-2-ol) benzene-N-methylcarbamate via hydrolyzing at the ether bond of furanyl ring of carbofuran. Strain FND-3 was also able to degrade other N-methylcarbamate pesticides.