Phenol was studied as a model pollutant for treatment by adsorption and electrochemical regeneration using a graphite intercalation compound (GIC) adsorbent in an air agitated sequential batch reactor. The mechanism of electrochemical regeneration is important in determining the fate of the adsorbed species. The effect of a range of operating parameters including current density, pH, electrolyte addition, and the initial concentration of phenol on the formation of the intermediate oxidation products was investigated. The main breakdown products detected were benzoquinone and chlorinated organics (chloride was present as an electrolyte in the cathode compartment), with small amounts of hydroquinone, catechol, and carboxylic acids detected under some conditions. The effect of current density on the formation of breakdown products during electrochemical regeneration was found to be similar to effects reported in the literature for the electrochemical oxidation of a phenol solution. In contrast to acidic pH, very low concentrations of benzoquinone were observed during electrochemical regeneration of GIC adsorbent under neutral and alkaline conditions. The results obtained with high initial phenol concentration (100 mg L-1) suggested that breakdown products could be formed either by oxidation of adsorbed phenol or indirect oxidation of phenol in solution. Comparison of experiments carried out with different amounts of adsorbed and dissolved phenol suggested that the intermediate oxidation products obtained was formed largely due to indirect electrochemical oxidation of organics in solution. In particular, it was found that the chlorinated organics detected in solution were generated from the indirect oxidation of phenol in solution. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.