A series of commercial unmodified and modified activated carbons was studied. The surface chemical composition was characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Boehm titration methods. Data on p-nitrophenol (pnp) adsorption isotherms determined under real oxic and anoxic conditions (at 310 K) are presented and described using bimodal Langmuir and lattice density functional theory models. The applicability of the pnp molecule for determination of surface area using adsorption from solution data is discussed. It is shown that under anoxic conditions adsorption and relative enthalpy of this process depend on the value of BET apparent surface area and DA micropore volumes. The differences between adsorption levels under both conditions increase with rise in solute equilibrium concentration. Moreover, the average difference between adsorption values under both conditions increases and next decreases with rise in the concentration of surface acidic groups. Applying quantum chemical calculations, we show that under anoxic conditions the influence of surface oxygen groups on pnp adsorption is small, whereas under oxic conditions the reverse situation is observed. Obtained theoretical results show very good correspondence to the experimental data and the origin of the relationships observed experimentally is explained and discussed. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.