Electrochemical hydrodehalogenation (HDH) of 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) has been carried out in paraffin oil solutions using a solid polymer electrolyte reactor in a batch recycle mode with a dilute H2SO4 aqueous solution as the anode feed and source of hydrogen. The technology expands the application ranges of the electrochemical HDH from aqueous systems to non-conductive media. The influence of current density, reactant concentration and temperature is evaluated. The data are compared with those achieved in aqueous solutions. The HDH, in the paraffin oil, has been demonstrated in operation periods of up to 170 h. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.