In the present investigation the dynamics of the adsorption of several chlorinated hydrocarbons onto wetted and non-wetted synthetic sorbents was studied. A single particle model was developed to describe the adsorption behavior. The values of the mass transfer coefficient, needed to describe the experimental results, were found to be considerably less than those predicted from theory. The difference between measured and expected mass transfer coefficient was found to increase with non-ideality of the solute and to depend on type of sorbent. Apparently, the rate of mass transfer does not only depend on hydrodynamics but also on possible interaction between solute, solvent and sorbent. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.