The GAC-SBR efficiency was decreased with the increase of dyestuff concentration or the decrease of bio-sludge concentration. The system showed the highest removal efficiency with synthetic textile wastewater (STWW) containing 40 mg/L direct red 23 or direct blue 201 under MLSS of 3000 mg/L and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 7.5 days. But, the effluent NO3- was higher than that of the influent. Direct red 23 was more effective than direct blue 201 to repress the GAC-SBR system efficiency. The dyes removal efficiency of the system with STWW containing direct red 23 was reduced by 30% with the increase of direct red 23 from 40 mg/L to 160 mg/L The system with raw textile wastewater (TWW) showed quite low BOD5 TKN and dye removal efficiencies of only 64.7 +/- 4.9% and 50.2 +/- 6.9%, respectively. But its' efficiencies could be increased by adding carbon sources (BOD5). The dye removal efficiency with TWW was increased by 30% and 20% by adding glucose (TWW + glucose) or Thai rice noodle wastewater (TWW + TRNWW), respectively. SRT of the systems were 28 +/- 1 days and 31 +/- 2 days with TWW + glucose and TWW + TRNWW, respectively. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.