Oxygen-releasing alginate beads (ORABs), a new concept of oxygen-releasing compounds (ORCs) designed to overcome some limitations regarding the fast oxygen release rate and the high pH equilibrium of ORCs, were fabricated to promote the stimulation of aerobic biodegradation in anaerobic groundwater. Slow oxygen-releasing rate and maintenance of constant pH were achieved by changing the parameters (ionic radius and valence) related to the cross-linking ions composing ORABs, and the best results were obtained for ORABs cross-linked with Al (Al-ORABs). Furthermore, the mechanism of the improved aerobic biodegradation using Al-ORABs under oxygen-limiting groundwater conditions was elucidated in batch and column studies with 1,4-dioxane and Mycrobacterium sp. PH-06 as a model contaminant and aerobic microbes, respectively. Maximum 1,4-dioxane degradations of 99% and 68.1% were achieved when Al-ORABs were applied in batch and column conditions, respectively, whereas 34.3% and 18% of 1,4-dioxane were degraded without Al-ORABs in batch and column conditions, respectively. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.