Reductive decolorization of two anthraquinone reactive dyes (Reactive Blue 4, RB4; Reactive Blue 19, RB19) under methanogenic conditions was performed using a mixed, methanogenic culture. Decolorization of the two anthraquinone dyes was investigated to evaluate the rate and extent of color removal as well as to assess possible toxic effects of the dyes and their decolorization product(s) on the methanogenic culture as a function of initial dye concentration ranging from 50 to 300 mg x L(-1). A dextrin/peptone mixture was used as the carbon and electron source. A high rate and extent of color removal was achieved ranging from 4.3 to 29.9 mg x L(-1)h(-1) and 73-91% for RB4, and 13.0-74.4 mg x L(-1)h(-1) and 90-95% for RB19. Initial RB4 concentrations up to 100 mg x L(-1) did not result in any significant inhibition. Both the 200 and 300 mg x L(-1) RB4-amended cultures, and all RB19-amended cultures resulted in severe inhibition of both acidogenesis and methanogenesis. Sequential dye addition at 300 mg x L(-1) for both RB4 and RB19 resulted in accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and a very low methane production at the end of the first dye addition after 44 days of incubation. However, at the end of the second dye addition, after a relatively long incubation (384 days), recovery of methanogens in the RB4-amended culture was observed in contrast to the complete inhibition of methanogenesis in the RB19-amended culture. Therefore, RB19 resulted in a higher degree of inhibition of both acidogenesis and methanogenesis than RB4. Addition of dextrin/peptone to dye-inhibited cultures resulted in acidogenesis and a gradual recovery of methanogenesis (mainly aceticlastic methanogenesis) in the RB4-inhibited culture, and a slow recovery of acidogenesis but no recovery of methanogenesis in the RB19-inhibited culture. In contrast, addition of 80% H(2)-20% CO(2) gas to dye-inhibited cultures resulted in recovery of hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis in both the RB4- and RB19-inhibited cultures. In spite of the relatively severe inhibition of the two anthraquinone dyes on the mixed, methanogenic culture, a high extent of color removal was achieved.