The sorption of p-nitrophenol (PNP) on two variable charge soils was studied under a series of batch experimental conditions of solution pH, contact time, and temperature. Their kinetic and equilibrium parameters were assessed. The optimum pH for sorption of PNP was 5.0 for Xuwen soil and 5.4 for Guangzhou soil, respectively. Langmuir and Freundlich models were successfully used to describe the sorption isotherms. Results implied that monolayer sorption and heterogeneous energetic distribution of active sites on the surface of the soils were possible. The kinetic data were fitted with pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intra-particle diffusion models. The sorption process was well described by pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the intra-particle diffusion was not the sole rate-controlling step. The negative standard Gibbs free energy (Delta(r)Gm(0)) values of the sorption implied that the sorption of PNP on soils was spontaneous, and the changes of the standard enthalpy (Delta H-r(m)0) showed that the sorption as endothermic. In addition, the soils were characterized by surface area, X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.