Electrochemical reduction of nitrate in an undivided cell was studied in the present experiments. The optimization of the influencing factors on electrochemical reduction of nitrate by response surface methodology (RSM) was also studied. An ideal condition of performing both cathodic reduction of nitrate and anodic oxidation of the formed by-product in the presence of NaCl was achieved in the present experiment. The Box-Behnken design can be employed to develop mathematical models for predicting electrochemical nitrate removal geometry. The removal is sensitive to the current density and time in the present study. The value of R-2 > 0.99 for the present mathematical model indicates the high correlation between observed and predicted values. The optimal NaCl dosage, current density and electrolysis time for nitrate removal in the present experiment are 0.47 g L-1, 26.06 mA cm(-2), and 111.88 min, respectively, at which the nitrate nitrogen (nitrate-N) and ammonia nitrogen (ammonia-N) concentration in the treated solution are 9.80 and 0 mg L-1, respectively, which will meet the standards for drinking water. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.