Performance of a VUV photoreactor was investigated for the reduction of Cr(VI) in real chrome-plating wastewater. The effect of wastewater pH, initial Cr(VI) concentration, organic reductant, air/N-2 gas blowing and reaction time was investigated for a decrease Cr(VI) in batch experiments. The decrease in Cr(VI) was examined using a VUV photoreactor in continuous-flow mode as a function of hydraulic retention time (HRT). Maximum photoreduction of Cr(VI) obtained in batch tests at acidic pH of 1.8 with N-2 blowing. The presence of methanol accelerated reduction of Cr(VI). Cr(VI) at initial concentrations of 10, 20, 30, 50 and 100 mg/L was reduced completely in the batch VUV photoreactor at reaction times of 2, 10, 12, 16 and 25 min, respectively. The VUV photoreactor also operated in continuous-flow mode, where 91.7% of 30 mg/L Cr(VI) reduced in a HRT of 6 min. The VUV photoreactor is an efficient and practicable technology for reduction of Cr(VI) to treat Cr(VI)-laden streams. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.