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Olive mill wastewater (OMW) represents a significant environmental problem in the Mediterranean region. It has extremely high concentrations of phenolic compounds, which creates an unpleasant odor and phytotoxic impact. In this study, we evaluated a developed cost effective and eco-friendly media of granular activated carbons impregnated with surface active materials. The percentage removal of phenolic compounds from OMW samples was significantly enhanced by using oxidized granular activated carbon (GAC-OX) impregnated with Span 20 soaked for 15 days, yielding a percentage removal of 97.94 + 2.30%. The maximum adsorption of phenolic compounds into impregnated media was tested under optimum conditions; 10 mM surfactant concentration, 25 °C, and 15 days of contact time. 1HNMR, 13C-NMR, and direct photometric method were used for the detection of the efficiency of the used adsorbent media in the remediation of OMW. The results of this study showed that the used adsorbent media provided an economical way for OMW remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]