Hydrophobic-hydrophilic interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) composed of polydivinylbenzene (PDVB) and polyacryldiethylenetriamine (PADETA) were prepared and its adsorption performance toward salicylic acid was studied from aqueous solutions. The structure of PDVB/PADETA IPNs was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, weak basic exchange capacity, and swelling ratio, respectively. The results indicated that PDVB/PADETA IPNs possessed both hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties and they were much superior to the hydrophobic PDVB and the hydrophilic PADETA in adsorption of salicylic acid from aqueous solutions. The Freundlich model was more appropriate for fitting the equilibrium data than the Langmuir model and the isosteric enthalpy decreased with increment of the equilibrium uptakes. The breakthrough dynamic capacity of salicylic acid on PDVB/PADETA IPNs was 77.27 mg/mL wet resin at an initial concentration of 650.4 mg/L and a flow rate of 7.2 BV/h (bed volume, 1 BV=10 mL) and the saturated dynamic capacity was calculated to be 93.28 mg/mL wet resin. One hundred and forty milliliter of 0.01 mol/L of sodium hydroxide (w/v) and 40% of ethanol (v/v) could regenerate the resin column completely. (c) 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers