To investigate the effects of multiple weak interactions on the binding of phenolic compounds by polymeric adsorbents, macroporous polystyrene (PS) resin and PS-based adsorbents with different hydrogen-bond acceptor atoms (PS-CH2(-OCH2CH2) -OCH3, n = 0, 1, 2, and 3, denoted as PS-EG(0), PS-EG(1), PS-EG(2), and PS-EG(3)) were prepared. The phenol adsorption strength order on these adsorbents was PS/PS-EG(0) < PS-EG(1) < PS-EG2 < PS-EG3, indicating that the adsorption on PS and PS-EGO was driven by hydrophobic and pi-pi interactions, and the adsorption on PS-EG(1), PS-EG(2), and PS-EG(3) was driven by a hydrogen bond in addition to hydrophobic and pi-pi interactions. PS-EG(2) may adsorb a second phenol molecule on each binding site and PS-EG(3) may adsorb second and third ones. The adsorption strength of resorcinol increased in the order of PS, PS-EG(1), and PS-EG(2), indicating that the adsorption was driven by 0, 1, and 2 hydrogen bonds in addition to hydrophobic and pi-pi interactions. Similarly, the adsorption of phloroglucinol on PS, PS-EG(1), PS-EG(2), and PS-EG(3) was driven by 0, 1, 2, and 3 hydrogen bonds in addition to hydrophobic and pi-pi interactions because the adsorption strength increased in this order. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.