The effect of the ionic charge on the efficiency of Fe-0/sand systems for dye discoloration was investigated in column studies. Tested systems for each dye were: (i) pure sand (0% Fe-0), (ii) pure Fe-0 (100% Fe-0), and (iii) Fe-0/sand (50% Fe-0 - vol/vol). Tested dyes were methylene blue (MB - cationic), Orange II (anionic) and reactive red 120 (RR 120 - anionic). Used dye concentration was 31 mu M and used Fe-0 mass was 100g. Each system was characterized by the time-dependent changes of the pH value, the iron breakthrough, the dye breakthrough, and the hydraulic conductivity (permeability). The experiments lasted for 93 days during which a total of 26.12 L of the dye solution flowed through each column (809.7 mu M dye in total). No significance changes in pH value, Fe breakthrough and permeability could be documented. In pure sand systems (0% Fe-0) 15, 21 and 140 mu M of RR 120, Orange II and MB were discolored respectively. The discoloration efficiency in Fe-0-based systems was 75% for MB and more than 95% for RR120 and Orange II. Results confirmed quantitative adsorptive MB discoloration and negligible adsorption of anionic dyes onto negatively charged sand. Quantitative discoloration of anionic dyes (Orange II, RR 120) in Fe-0/sand systems was attributed to high affinities of both species to positively iron corrosion products. UV-vis spectra of effluent solutions revealed a quantitative chemical reaction of RR 120 in the Fe-0/H2O system. The yellow-colored reaction products were not active in the range 800-200 nm and their breakthroughs were quantitative over the whole experimental duration. Results confirmed the ion-selective nature of the Fe-0/H2O system and are regarded as a cornerstone for the design of next generation Fe-0-based filtration systems. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.