This study is to inspect how the variation of molecular structures and functional groups present in our model azo dyes (i.e., Congo red, Eriochrome black T (EBT), methyl orange, and methyl red) affects biodecolorization capability of Pseudomonas luteola. The most viable decolorization was found at pH 7-9 and the optimal cellular age for the most effective decolorization was 7 days after static incubation in dye-free cultures. In decolorization, the maximal absorption wavelength in UV-vis spectra for the different dye-containing cultures shifted from visible light range towards the ultraviolet visible range. Methyl red was not decolorized in contrast to methyl orange, Congo red, and Eriochrome black T. The sulfonic group para to azo bond (-N=N-) in methyl orange was a strong electron-withdrawing group through resonance to cause an enhancement of color removal to be easily biodecolorized. As a charged carboxyl group on methyl red is at ortho position (i.e., in the proximity) to azo bond, this led to a complete inhibition to decolorization. However, decolorization of Congo red and EBT in the absence of charged group (e.g., hydroxy or amino group) near azo bond was not completely repressed like methyl red. Thus, the presence of electron-withdrawing groups as the substituents on azo dyes enhanced decolorization capability for biodegradability. In addition, Monod kinetic model provided better predictions to all dye decolorization at initial short periods of time due to negligible intermediate formed at initial short time duration, but significant intermediate accumulation took place at longer period of time. In contrast, the decolorization performances of methyl orange at 400 ppm and EBT at 230 ppm were significantly less than those predicted from the Monod kinetic model likely due to accumulated intermediates exceeding the threshold levels for feedback inhibition. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.