The present study investigated the adsorptive ability of carbon materials (C1 and C2) released during the combustion of woody biomass. The physical and chemical properties, adsorption dynamics and adsorption isotherms of the adsorbents were compared with those of commercially available carbon that was powdered and activated. The percent nitrobenzene adsorption from an aqueous solution (nitrobenzene: 50 mg/L) after 3 h of adsorption using C1 was 92% compared with 81% when using the activated carbon powder. The saturated adsorption amounts of nitrobenzene were 294 mg/g for C1 and 344 mg/g for the activated carbon powder. However, the adsorption equilibrium constant for C1 was approximately 7-fold greater than that of the activated carbon powder. The methylene blue-adsorption capacity of C1 was similar to nitrobenzene adsorption. Thus, the results of the present study confirm that the carbon material resulting from the combustion of woody biomass is an inexpensive and environmentally friendly adsorbent for nitrobenzene. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.