A simple strategy to fabricate magnetic porous microspheres of Fe3O4@poly(methylmethacrylate-co-divinylbenzene) was demonstrated. The magnetic microspheres, consisting of polymer-coated iron oxide nanoparticles, were synthesized by the modified suspension polymerization of methacrylate and divinylbenzene in the presence of a magnetic fluid. The morphology and the properties of the magnetic porous microspheres were examined by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, superconducting quantum interference device, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, and X-ray powder diffraction. The pore size distribution and the specific surface area of the microspheres were measured by nitrogen sorption and mercury porosimetry technique. As predicted from the previous knowledge, the magnetic porous microspheres possessed a high specific surface area using n-hexane as a porogen. It was further found that the amounts of divinylbenzene and methacrylate, the ratio of porogens, and the dosage of ferrofluids affect the specific surface area of the microspheres. Furthermore, the microspheres were applied to remove phenol from aqueous solutions. The results showed that the microspheres had a high adsorption capacity for phenol and a high separation efficiency due to their porous structure, polar groups, and superparamagnetic characteristic. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.