The anaerobic degradation of quinoline, isoquinoline and 2-methylquinoline was investigated under nitrate-reducing conditions with acclimated activated sludge. Quinoline was completely transformed during degradation with an optimum COD/NO3-N ratio of 7. Isoquinoline and 2-methylquinoline were also completely transformed; however, nitrate consumption was much lower with the optimum COD/NO3-N ratios being in the ranges of 83-92 and 21-26, respectively. CC-MS analyses showed that during degradation, quinoline and isoquinoline were transformed by hydroxylation into 2(1H)-quinolinone and 1(2H)-isoquinolinone, respectively. While quinoline was completely mineralized, only 92% of isoquinoline was mineralized, and 1(2H)-isoquinolinone remained in the effluent. 2-Methylquinoline was transformed by hydrogenation to 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2-methyl-quinoline, and further degradation resulted in cleavage of the heterocyclic ring leaving 4-ethyl-benzenamine. Both the metabolites remained in the effluent, resulting in the low mineralization of 2-methylquinoline (58%). This is the first time that 2-methylquinoline is observed degradable under denitrifying conditions, and its metabolites are identified. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.