Activated carbons have been prepared from olive kernels and their adsorptive characteristics were investigated. A two stage process of pyrolysis-activation has been tested in two scales: (a) laboratory scale pyrolysis and chemical activation with KOH and (b) pilot/bench scale pyrolysis and physical activation with H2O-CO2. In the second case, olive kernels were first pyrolysed at 800 degrees C, during 45 min under an inert atmosphere in an industrial pyrolyser with a throughput of 1 t/h (Compact Power Ltd., Bristol, UK). The resulting chars were subsequently activated with steam and carbon dioxide mixtures at 970 degrees C in a batch pilot monohearth reactor at NESA facility (Louvain-la Neuve, Belgium). The active carbons obtained from both scales were characterized by N-2 adsorption at 77 K, methyl-blue adsorption (MB adsorption) at room temperature and SEM analysis. Surface area and MB adsorption were found to increase with the degree of bum-off. The maximum BET surface area was found to be around 1000-1200 m(2)/g for active carbons produced at industrial scale with physical activation, and 3049 m2/g for active carbons produced at laboratory with KOH activation. The pores of the produced carbons were composed of micropores at the early stages of activation and both micropores and mesopores at the late stages. Methylene blue removal capacity appeared to be comparable to that of commercial carbons and even higher at high degrees of activation. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.