A chloromethylated styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer was post-cross-linked through Friedel-Crafts reaction to get a macroreticular resin adsorbent NA-01, and then chemically modified by dimethylamine to obtain an aminated adsorbent NA-01A. Batch adsorption runs of p-nitrophenol from aqueous solution onto adsorbent NA-01A were conducted to evaluate the effect of amino group on adsorption. The adsorption capacity of p-nitrophenol on NA-01A increased noticeably by comparison with the mother adsorbent. A linear relationship was observed between the adsorption capacity of NA-01A caused by amination and the equilibrium concentration of p-nitrophenol in aqueous solution, which can be reasonably elucidated by a modified isotherm equation based on the Freundlich model. The breakthrough curves on both adsorbents were experimentally determined and also predicted by the mathematic model based on the non-linear wave propagation theory and the corresponding isotherm model. The model based on the Freundlich model gave a good prediction of the breakthrough curve on NA-01, but a deviation occurred for NA-01A when C/C-0 less than 0.3. However, another model based on the modified isotherm equation provided a better prediction for the breakthrough curves on NA-01A. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.