BACKGROUD:　Organic　contaminants　in　secondary　reverse　osmosis　(SRO)　concentrate　pose　a　severe　threat　to　the　ecosystem,　due　to　their　potential　toxicity.　In　this　study,　potential　of　coagulation/granular　activated　carbon　(GAC)　adsorption　combined　with　UV/H2O2　and　ozonation　for　removing　organic　matter　from　industrial　secondary　RO　concentrate　was　systematically　investigated.　RESULTS:　Coagulation　with　2.0　mmol　L−1　FeCl3　yielded　40%　removal　of　dissolved　organic　carbon　(DOC),　while　adsorption　with　5　g　L−1　GAC　could　boost　the　removal　efficiency　up　to　78.2%.　Fractionation　results　showed　that　both　coagulation　and　GAC　adsorption　favored　hydrophobic　organics.　UV/H2O2　oxidation　was　capable　of　removing　87.4%　of　DOC,　which　outperformed　ozonation　(58.2%).　UV/H2O2　and　ozonation　showed　similar　behavior　in　dissolved　organic　matter　(DOM)　degradation:　a　portion　of　hydrophobic　organics　were　first　transformed　into　hydrophilic　fractions　prior　to　final　mineralization.　Conclusion:　Coupling　of　GAC　as　post-treatment　with　a　UV/H2O2　process　yielded　97.9%　removal　of　DOC　and　the　corresponding　electrical　energy　per　order　(EE/O)　was　decreased　from　66.7　to　35.8　kWh　m−3.　Consequently,　a　simple　UV/H2O2　and　GAC　hybrid　process　was　proposed　to　be　a　suitable　method　for　removing　DOM　from　SRO　concentrate.　©　2018　Society　of　Chemical　Industry.　©　2018　Society　of　Chemical　Industry