Different fibrous activated carbons were prepared from natural precursors (jute and coconut fibers) by physical and chemical activation. Physical activation consisted of the thermal treatment of raw fibers at 950 degrees C in an inert atmosphere followed by an activation step with CO2 at the same temperature. In chemical activation, the raw fibers were impregnated in a solution of phosphoric acid and heated at 900 degrees C in an inert atmosphere. The characteristics of the fibrous activated carbons were determined in the following terms: elemental analysis, pore characteristics, SEM observation of the porous surface, and surface chemistry. As the objective of this study was the reuse of waste for industrial wastewater treatment, the adsorption properties of the activated carbons were tested towards pollutants representative of industrial effluents: phenol, the dye Acid Red 27 and Cu2+ ions. Chemical activation by phosphoric acid seems the most suitable process to produce fibrous activated carbon from cellulose fiber. This method leads to an interesting porosity (S-BET up to 1500 m(2) g(-1)), which enables a high adsorption capacity for micropollutants like phenol (reaching 181 mg g(-1)). Moreover, it produces numerous acidic surface groups, which are involved in the adsorption mechanisms of dyes and metal ions. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.