The use of nitric-acid-activated fly ash (AFA), as heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst for p-nitrophenol (p-NP) removal from water, was investigated. The physicochemical characteristics of AFA were better than those of raw fly ash (RFA). Under experimental conditions of pH 1.5-5.1, H2O2 dosage 83.3-333 mg L-1, AFA loaded 5.0-20 g L-1, and temperature 298-348 K. the p-NP removal rate increased with the increase of H2O2 dosage, AFA loaded and temperature. The highest removal rate (98%) was observed at pH 2.0 when H2O2 dosage 166.5 mg L-1, AFA loaded 10 g L-1 and temperature 298K. However, good p-NP removal efficiency (98.8%) could still be achieved under milder pH (5.1) conditions when enough reaction time (14h) was applied. The leached iron concentration increased with decrease in pH and with increase in reaction time. The homogenous catalysis caused by leached iron was negligible. The less reaction time and higher AFA load could be selected flexibly for catalytic stability and reusability in actual application. The probable heterogeneous catalytic mechanisms were proposed. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.