In this study, oxidized dye wastewaters were tested for their potential to be used as a cheap coagulant for microalgae harvesting. Two dyes (methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO)) were selected as model dyes, and the Fenton-like reaction under high temperature (90 degrees C, 1 min) employed as an oxidative treatment option. A maximum harvesting efficiency over 90% was obtained with both MB and MO at a dilution ratio of 5: 1 (dye wastewater: cell culture), when the optimal oxidation condition was 20 mg/L of dye, 1 mM of FeCl3, and 0.5% of H2O2 concentration. This phenomenon could be explained by the possibility that amine groups are formed and exposed in oxidized dyes, which act as a kind of amine-based coagulant just like chitosan. This study clearly showed that dye wastewater, when properly oxidized, could serve as a potent coagulant for microalgae harvesting, potentially rendering the harvesting cost reduced to a substantial degree. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.