This work is related with a study of phenols adsorption from an aqueou
s solution on a polymeric resin. Mainly, it has been considered the qu
antification, evaluation and correlation of the experimental results f
rom solutes distribution between both equilibrium phases. It has been
used a macroreticular nonpolar adsorbing resin, Amberlite XAD-4 from R
ohm and Haas. The study has been carried out with synthetic solutions
of single component: ortho, metha, para-cresol and phenol. Adsorption
results have been analyzed based on the more used isotherms and it has
been found that models that consider energetic or adsorption heteroge
neity give better results. Cresols are easier to retain due to the pre
sence of methyl group that remarks the hydrophobic character of the ph
enol aromatic ring. It has been studied the effect on the adsorption f
rom aqueous solutions, ionic strength and pH of solutions, and it has
been found the basic relations that let quantify their influence.