The high-strength 2,4-DCP, which exists in two states: dissolved and colloidal, was studied by a continuously electro-microbial system (CEMS) and an intermittently electro-microbial system (IEMS). The hydrolysis rate of colloidal 2,4-DCP in the IEMS without electric assistance was much higher than that in the CEMS. However, the degradation rate of the dissolved 2,4-DCP and the dissolved intermediates (2-chlorophenol and 4-chlorophenol) in the IEMS without electric assistance were much lower than that in the CEMS. By adjusting the intermittent operation mode, the degradation time of 2,4-DCP was shortened greatly. Microbial characteristics in the CEMS and the IEMS were different. The correlation analysis for the main factors affecting the hydrolysis was performed by SPSS, and it was found that the correlation coefficient (tau(p)) was -0.912 for extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) content, 0.823 for zeta potential and 0.632 for relative hydrophobicity, respectively. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.