In this paper, functional macromolecule poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) was grafted on the surface of silica gel particles using 3-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (MPS) as intermedia, and the grafted particle PMAA/SiO2 with strong adsorption ability for phenol was prepared. The adsorption mechanism and properties of PMAA/SiO2 for phenol were researched by static and dynamic methods. The experimental results showed that PMAA/SiO2 possesses strong adsorption ability for phenol with interaction of three kinds of hydrogen bonds including peculiar O-H center dot center dot center dot pi hydrogen bond (aromatic hydrogen bond) and O-H center dot center dot center dot O=C pi hydrogen bond. The saturated adsorption amount Could reach up to 162.88 mg g(-1). The empirical Freundlich isotherm was found to describe well the equilibrium adsorption data. pH and temperature were found to have great influence on the adsorption amount. Finally, PMAA/SiO2 was observed to possess excellent reusability properties as well. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.