The goal of this research was to investigate the recovery of naproxen from an aqueous solution using solid polymer sorbents (Sepabeads (R) SP850, Amberlite (R) XAD-4 and Diaion (R) HP-20) impregnated with 1-propyl-3-undecanoylpyridinium bromide. In the experimental section, the extraction kinetics of naproxen in the aqueous solution was investigated. The influence of different parameters such as the resin dose, pH of the aqueous phase and the naproxen initial concentration on the recovery was studied. Also theoretical models were used in order to fit the experimental data. It was indicated, that the selected polymer sorbent impregnated with 1-propyl-3-undecanoylpyridinium bromide can be effectively employed in the naproxen removal from wastewater and the efficient recovery was a result of both the adsorption by the resin and the reactive extraction with 1-propyl-3-undecanoylpyridinium bromide inside the resin pores (C) 2016 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.