The physical and chemical properties of hypercrosslinked polymers have been compared with a commercial grade activated carbon for the sorption of organic micropollutants from water. Surface area and pore size distribution were measured by nitrogen sorption and the data analysed using a modified form of the Horvath and Kawazoe method. Surface reactivity and functionality of polymers was measured by diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, solid state nuclear magnetic resonance, direct titration, elemental and zeta potential analysis. Chemviron F-400 activated carbon has a large surface area and is microporous but contains a significant proportion of mesopores. The hypercrosslinked polymer phases identified in this work have high surface areas (800-1000 m(2)g(-1)) and contain predominantly micro and macropores but virtually no mesopores. Chemical analysis of the surface of the polymers has identified oxygen and nitrogen functionalities which will have an advantageous influence on the binding of polar and non-polar organic micropollutants.