A combined zero valent iron (ZVI) and anaerobic-aerobic process was adopted for the treatment of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)containing wastewater. The transformation pathway, reduction of acute toxicity and enhancement of biodegradability were investigated. After pretreatment by ZVI, DNCB in wastewater could be completely converted into 2,4-diaminochlorobenzene (DACB). The ratio of BOD 5 /COD increased from 0.005 ± 0.001 to 0.168 ± 0.007, while EC 50, 48 hr (V/V) increased from 0.65% to

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... %, indicating the enhancement of biodegradability and reduction of acute toxicity with the pretreatment by ZVI. DACB was further dechlorinated to m-phenylenediamine during the anaerobic process using methanol as electron donor, with EC 50, 48 hr increasing from 5.20% to 48.2%. After the subsequent anaerobic-aerobic process, m-phenylenediamine was degraded completely, with effluent COD of 67.5 ± 10.8 mg/L. This effluent of the subsequent anaerobic-aerobic process was not toxic to zebrafish. The combined ZVI and anaerobic-aerobic process offers bright prospects for the treatment of chlorinated nitroaromatic compound-containing wastewater.