The research on treatment of wastewater containing nitrophenols was carried out by liquid membrane process. The various parameters were selected for nitrophenols concentration 1050 mg/l in wastewater, such as the surfactant concentration in oil phase 2%, the NaOH concentration in the internal water phase 2%. the ratio of oil phase to internal water phase 2, the pH of external water phase 2 and the ratio of external water phase to emulsion phase 3. The results indicate that the total nitrophenols in influent can be reduced from 1050 to <1 mg/l and from 6700 to <2.2 mg/l via one-stage liquid membrane process. The removal rate of total nitrophenols in wastewater was >99.9%, and the nitrobenzene and COD, in wastewater were treated at same time also. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V.