Simultaneous Cr(VI) reduction and phenol degradation were investigated in a reactor containing Pseudomonas aeruginosa CCTCC AB91095. Phenol was used as carbon source. P. aeruginosa utilized metabolites formed during phenol degradation as energy source for Cr(VI) reduction. Cr(VI) inhibited both Cr(VI) reduction and phenol degradation when Cr(VI) concentration exceeded the optimum value (20 mg/L), whereas phenol enhanced both Cr(VI) reduction and phenol degradation below the optimum initial concentration of 100 mg/L. Cr(III) was the predominant product of Cr(VI) reduction in cultures after incubation for 24 h. Both Cr(VI) reduction and phenol degradation were influenced by the amount of inocula. The concentration of Cr(VI) and phenol declined quickly from 20, 100 to 3.36, 29.51 mg/L in cultures containing of 5% (v/v) inoculum after incubation for 12 h, respectively. The whole study showed that A aeruginosa is promising for the reduction of toxic Cr(VI) and degradation of organic pollutants simultaneously in the mineral liquid medium. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.