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Batch kinetics and isotherm studies were carried out to evaluate the sorption of phenol by pyrolyzed and activated Jordanian oil-shale. The effects of contact time, initial sorbate concentration, sorbent concentration, temperature, pH and inorganic salts (NaCl and KCl), on the adsorption process by different sorbents were considered. Chemically activated oil shale, pretreated with ZnCl2, gave the highest uptake of phenol. The isotherm experimental data fit well to Freundlich and Redlich-Paterson models and to a less extent to the Langmuir model. The increase in the initial sorbate concentration resulted in an increase in the uptake. Three kinetics models, namely the Morris-Weber model, the Lagergren model, and the pseudo-second-order model (PSOM), were applied to represent the experimental results for pyrolyzed and ZnCl2-oil shale sorbents. Pyrolyzed oil shale was prepared using a fluidized bed reactor at 520 °C in the presence of nitrogen. Physical activation was carried out by treating the resulted pyrolyzed oil shale with CO2 at 830 °C, while chemical activation of oil shale was carried out using KOH and ZnCl2 as impregnating agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]