Capnocytophaga ochracea acid (AcP; EC 3.1.3.2) and alkaline (AlP; EC 3.1.3.1) phosphatase was isolated by Ribi cell disruption and purified by sodium dodecyl sulphate - polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE.) Both phosphatases eluted from Sephadex G-150 consistent with molecular weights (migration) of 140 000 and 110 000. SDS-PAGE demonstrated a 72 000 and 55 000 subunit molecular migration for AcP and AlP, respectively. The kinetics of activity of purified AcP and AlP on p-nitrophenol phosphate and phosphoseryl residues of the phosphoproteins are presented.