In the present study, a consortium of Cardiobacterium hominis and Pseudomonas stutzeri was isolated from an effluent treatment plant of a textile industry, based on its ability to decolourise azo dyes including direct black 38 (DB38), a benzidine-based azo dye. The role of each culture in the decolourisation process was elucidated, and C. hominis was found to decolourise the dye. Although P. stutzeri could not decolourise the dye, it was found to synergistically enhance dye decolourisation activity of C. hominis by scavenging oxygen in the medium and creating an anaerobic condition (oxidation/reduction potential -440 mV), which is known to be necessary for azo dye decolourisation. Together, the cultures could decolourise 90.5% of 100 mg l(-1) DB38 within 24 h. Kinetics of DB38 decolourisation was also examined, and P. stutzeri was found to increase V-max and K-m of decolourisation activity of C. hominis by 3.6- and 3-fold, respectively. The study also revealed a pathway of DB38 degradation with the release of benzidine from DB38 and subsequent degradation of benzidine to 4-aminobiphenyl by the cultures.