Experiments of ethylene glycol and ethylene glycol monoethyl ether retention on some active carbons were carried out to measure the surface areas of the carbons. Some differences were observed between nitrogen-specific surface area values and those obtained from ethylene glycol retention. However, since the differences decreased through an increase of surface oxygen content as a result of treatment of the carbons with H2O2, it was evident that ethylene glycol retention depended upon the surface oxygen content. Also, the surface area values obtained from retention of ethylene glycol monoethyl ether did not depend upon the surface oxygen content. Measurements of the ethylene glycol monoethyl ether retention process could be performed in a shorter time than the equivalent ethylene glycol retention measurements.