X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)was adopted to elucidate sorption mechanism of phenol and p-nitrophenol onto a weakly anion exchanger D301.The distribution of specific forms of tertiary amino group on D301 was obtained and effect of free tertiary amino group on phenol sorption onto D301 was discussed. The result indicated that the percent of the protonated tertiary amine group on polymeric matrix was much lower than the reference compound N,N-dimethylbenzylamine at an identical pH value in solution due to the much lower activity degree of hydrogen ion in inner resin phase than in the external solution. Less free amino group on D301 results in less sorption capacity of phenol and p-nitrophenol in an acidic solution. Under the experimental conditions both phenol sorption onto D301 can be explained as solid extraction and the distribution coefficient varies linearly with the content of free amino group on D301.
