A packed-bed column was developed to study the performance of Ceiba pentandra (L). Gaertn. ( kapok) for oily water filtration using a three-level, two-factor factorial design. This was based on the effects of packing density and flow rates on chemical oxygen demand (COD) and turbidity of the effluent. COD was significantly affected by the quadratic effects of flow rates. The optimum packing density and flow rate for minimum COD were predicted at 0.07 g/cm(3) and 1.09 L/h, which were within the range tested. About 99% of COD reductions were observed at all packing densities and flow rates. Similarly, more than 87% of turbidity reductions were achieved at all packing densities and flow rates. A deep-bed kapok filtration column constructed in this study had been successful in achieving oily water separation under different packing densities and flow rates. The oil and water front movements were shown to be influenced by the affinity of liquid to kapok fibers. This may suggest the excellent physicochemical property of Malaysian kapok for oil removal from water. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.