The nitrogen removal pathways and nitrogen-related functional genes in on-site three-stage aged refuse bioreactor (ARB) treating landfill leachate were investigated. It was found that on average 90.0% of CODCr, 97.6% of BOD5, 99.3% of NH4+-N, and 81.0% of TN were removed with initial CODCr, BOD5, NH4+-N, and TN concentrations ranging from 2323 to 2754, 277 to 362, 1237 to 1506, and 1251 to 1580 mg/L, respectively. Meanwhile, the functional genes amoA, nirS and anammox 16S rRNA gene were found to coexist in every bioreactor, and their relative proportions in each bioreactor were closely related to the pollutant removal performance of the corresponding bioreactor, which indicated the coexistence of multiple nitrogen removal pathways in the ARB. Detection of anammox expression proved the presence of the anammox nitrogen removal pathway during the process of recirculating mature leachate to the on-site ARB, which provides important information for nitrogen management in landfills. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.