Treatment of high-strength phenolic wastewater by a novel two-step method was investigated in the present study. The two-step treatment method consisted of chemical coagulation of the wastewater by metal chloride followed by further phenol reduction by resin adsorption. The present combined treatment was found to be highly efficient in removing the phenol concentration from the aqueous solution and was proved capable of lowering the initial phenol concentration from over 10,000 mg/l to below direct discharge level (1 mg/l). In the experimental tests, appropriate conditions were identified for optimum treatment operation. Theoretical investigations were also performed for batch equilibrium adsorption and column adsorption of phenol by macroreticular resin. The empirical Freundlich isotherm was found to represent well the equilibrium phenol adsorption. The column model with appropriately identified model parameters could accurately predict the breakthrough times. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.