The　capacity　and　mechanism　of　heterotrophic　nitrification-aerobic　denitrification　(HNAD)　strain　(H1)　to　remove　carbon,　nitrogen,　disinfectants　chloroxylenol　(PCMX)　and　benzethonium　chloride　(BEC)　were　investigated　in　this　study.　PCMX　was　removed　via　metabolism　and　chemical　oxygen　demand　co-metabolism　process.　BEC　was　eliminated　through　bacterial　adsorption,　which　greatly　inhibited　the　removal　of　other　pollutants.　Carbon　source　optimization　tests　revealed　that　glucose　was　the　optimal　carbon　source　for　co-removal　of　pollutants　under　mixed　disinfectants　circumstances　(PCMX　+　BEC).　Comparing　the　groups　without　(G1)　and　with　disinfectants　(G2),　the　content　of　extracellular　polymeric　substances　was　higher,　and　hydrophobicity　was　enhanced　under　the　hazardous　conditions　of　G2.　All　the　nitrogen　metabolism　functional　genes　in　G2　were　up-regulated,　and　the　electron　transport　system　activity　was　also　improved.　At　the　same　time,　G2　had　lower　reactive　oxygen　species　content,　which　reduced　the　probability　of　resistance　genes　dissemination,　but　the　abundance　of　most　quantified　resistance　genes　was　elevated　in　G2.　Toxicity　assessment　assays　found　a　dramatic　reduction　in　the　virulence　of　G2’s　effluent　compared　with　the　mixed　disinfectants.　The　results　confirmed　that　H1　strain　could　be　used　to　treat　the　disinfectant-containing　wastewater,　which　may　aid　in　the　application　of　HNAD　process.　©　2024　Elsevier　B.V.