The process of 1,10-phenanthroline adsorption at pH 5 on Ca-montmorillonite, activated carbon, and silica gel mixtures was studied as a function of the equilibrium concentration and the composition of the mixture. A model is presented for determining adsorption of the main component (the variable in the system) of the mixture, based on the thermodynamic concept of apparent and partial quantities, in combination with an equation representing total adsorption of the other two adsorbents as a function of the weight fraction of one of them and introducing the concept of mean total adsorption. The partial specific adsorption of orthophenanthroline (OP) on Ca-montmorillonite is strongly influenced by the presence of activated carbon and silica gel. Owing to a phenomenon of cationic exchange, adsorption on the clay is higher at low proportions in the mixture, but the strong effect of carbon and silica gel becomes apparent at increasing amounts of clay in the mixture. The partial specific adsorption of orthophenanthroline on activated carbon and silica gel was determined using a total adsorption equation for the two adsorbents as a function of the weight fraction of one of them and shows behavior inverse to that of adsorption on clay. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.