The sorption kinetics and thermodynamics of 1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB), m-nitrotoluene (mNT), p-nitrophenol (pNP), and nitrobenzene (NB) on as-grown and nitric acid-oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were investigated. The sorption kinetics was well described by a pseudo-second-order rate model, while both Langmuir and Freundlich models described the sorption isotherms well and the sorption thermodynamic parameters of equilibrium constant (K-0), standard free energy (Delta G), standard enthalpy (Delta H), and standard entropy changes (Delta S) were measured. The Values of Delta H and Delta G suggested that the sorption of nitroaromatics (NACs) onto MWCNTs was exothermic and spontaneous. The structure, number, and position of vitro groups of NACs were the main factors affecting the sorption rate and capacity. Treatment of the MWCNTs with nitric acid increased both the surface area and the pore volume and introduced oxygen-containing functional groups to the MWCNTs, which depressed the sorption of NACs onto MWCNTs. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.