Decolorization and mineralization of bakery's yeast industry effluent by photochemical advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) utilizing UV with hydrogen peroxide and Photo-Fenton, were investigated in a laboratory scale photo-reactor equipped with a 16W low-pressure mercury vapor lamp. The Box-Wilson experimental design method was employed to evaluate the effects of major process variables (e.g. pH, oxidant dose, and irradiation time) on the decolorization efficiency. Response function coefficients were determined by regression analysis of the experimental data and prediction results agreed with the experimental results. The optimum hydrogen peroxide concentration and irradiation time were found to be 5 mM and 50 min at pH 3, respectively, for UV/H2O2 process. In the Photo-Fenton process application, maximum decolorization efficiency (96.4%) was obtained at the optimum reaction conditions that were 100 mM H2O2 and 1 mM Fe(II) doses at pH 3, and 10 min of irradiation time. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.