Studies have been conducted on the equilibrium and dynamic adsorption of Fe(ll) and Zn(II) ions from aqueous and non-aqueous (methanol-water and isopropanol-water) solutions of the ions by shea butter (Butyrospermum parkii) seed husks. The equilibrium sorption of Fe(II) and Zn(II) ions at 30 degrees C was enhanced by methanol in a 50% (v/v) mixture of methanol-water solution of the ions, but depressed by the same volume mixture of isopropanol-water: The rate of equilibrium sorption, k, for Fell ion from 50% (v/v) isopropanol-water and methanol-water mixtures showed a negative temperature dependence in the range 30-50 degrees C, yielding values which were not higher than 1.35 x 10(-3) min(-1) at 30 degrees C in the latter mixture and a corresponding tilt of 513 min. For Zn(ll) ion, k showed a positive temperature dependence in the solvent mixtures with values of up to 3.0 x 10(-3) min(-1) at 70 degrees C in 50% (v/v) isopropanol-water mixture. The dynamic sorption of ZnU and Fe(II) ions from aqueous solutions at 30 degrees C increased with initial metal ion concentration in the range 50-100 ppm, yielding values for the amount of ion sorbed of 2.42 and 2.44 mg/g sorbent, respectively, at 100 ppm. The values for dynamic sorption of Fe(ll) and ZnU ions at 30 degrees C from aqueous solution and from the non-aqueous solutions were comparable. However the values for dynamic sorption of Fe(II) and Zn(ll) ions from the same solutions at 30 degrees C were much higher than the ones for equilibrium sorption by factors of up to 2 and 15, respectively.