A new kind of vaseline-loaded expanded graphite (VEG) complex material was prepared by a thermal soaking method and characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, contact angle meter, scanning electron microscopy and mercury porosimeter. The use of VEG as an adsorbent for the control of toluene vapors in air was investigated at different humidities and compared with commercial granular activated carbon (GAC). The results showed that the VEG was much more hydrophobic than the original expanded graphite and could adsorb more toluene. The amounts of loaded vaseline on the expanded graphite surface were optimized and the VEG-2 was the best one. For example, the sorption capacity of 1 g of the VEG-2 was 213 mg of toluene, more than 4.5 times that of the expanded graphite. The high adsorption capacity of the VEG could be attributed to the partitioning action of vaseline for toluene. It was also found that the VEG for toluene was independent on the humidity of the streams, while the sorption capacity of the GAC was strongly dependant on humidity. Therefore, it was expected to have a longer durability than GAC in wet weather. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier B.V.