Degradation of the acid red 97 dye using wet oxidation, by different oxidants, and electro-Fenton systems was investigated in this study. The oxidation effect of different oxidants such as molecular oxygen, periodate, persulfate, bromate, and hydrogen peroxide in wet oxidation system was compared. Mineralization of AR97 with periodate appeared more effective when compared with that of the other oxidants at equal initial concentration. When 5 mM of periodate was used, at the first minute of the oxidative treatment, the decolorization percentage of AR97 solution at 150 and 200 degrees C reached 88 and 98%, respectively. The total organic carbon removal efficiency at these temperatures also reached 60 and 80%. The degradation of AR97 was also studied by electro-Fenton process. The optimal current value and Fe2+ concentration were found to be 300 mA and 0.2 mM, respectively. The results showed that electro-Fenton process can lead to 70 and 95% mineralization of the dye solution after 3 and 5 h giving carboxylic acids and inorganic ions as final end-products before mineralization. The products obtained from degradation were identified by GC/MS as 1,2-naphthalenediol, 1,1'-biphenyl-4-amino-4-ol, 2-naphthalenol diazonium, 2-naphthalenol, 2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthalenedion, phthalic anhydride, 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, phthaldehyde, 3-hydroxy-1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, 4-amino-benzoic acid, and 2-formyl-benzoic acid. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.