BACKGROUND: Functionalized activated carbon (FAC) was prepared by immobilizing the activated carbon (AC) synthesized from Acacia fumosa seeds in cacium-alginate beads. Synthesized FAC has been blended with polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) in the composition of 0.25 to 1 wt% with an increment of 0.25 wt% to prepare composite membranes of PPSU/FAC by wet phase inversion method. The existence of FAC in PPSU was confirmed by Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) studies by the presence of characteristic functional groups of FAC. The influence of FAC on adsorption enhanced rejection of phenol during membrane filtration has been investigated. RESULTS: The hydrophilicity of PPSU/FAC composite membranes has been improved by FAC as there was a profound reduction in contact angle from 71.8 degrees to 43.8 degrees. With the minimum loading of 0.25wt% of FAC in PPSU, the maximum adsorption of phenol has taken place suggesting that the better dispersion of minimal loading will offer higher accessibility to adsorptive sites. CONCLUSIONS: The adsorption of phenol on FAC was observed to be higher in PPSU/FAC composite membranes when compared with FAC being used solely as an adsorbent. (C) 2015 Society of Chemical Industry