This work studies the reliability of an activated carbon permeable reactive barrier in removing cadmium from a contaminated shallow aquifer. Laboratory tests have been performed to characterize the equilibrium and kinetic adsorption properties of the activated carbon in cadmium-containing aqueous solutions. A 2D numerical model has been used to describe pollutant transport within a groundwater and the pollutant adsorption on the permeable adsorbing barrier (PRB). In particular. it has been considered the case of a permeable adsorbing barrier (PAB) used to protect a river from a Cd(II) contaminated groundwater. Numerical results show that the PAB can achieve a long-term efficiency by preventing river pollution for several months. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.