Activated carbons have been prepared from woody biomass birch by using various activation procedures: a) treatment with phosphoric acid and pyrolysis at 600 degrees C in inert atmosphere, b) the same as in (a) followed by steam activation at the same temperature and c) treatment with phosphoric acid and direct pyrolysis in a stream of water vapor at 700 degrees C. The surface area and the porosity of the activated carbons were strongly dependent on the treatment after impregnation with H3PO4 (pyrolysis in inert atmosphere, steam pyrolysis or combination of both). Activated carbon, prepared by impregnation with phosphoric acid followed by steam pyrolysis (steam activation) had highly developed porous structure and the largest surface area among all prepared carbons (iodine number 1280 mg/g and BET surface area 1360 m(2)/g). The adsorption capacity of this sample for Hg(II) from aqueous solution was studied in varying treatment conditions: contact time, metal ion concentration and pH. The adsorption followed Langmuir isotherms and the adsorption capacity for Hg(II) at 293 K was 160 mg/g. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.