The removal of anthracene from vehicle-wash wastewater (VWW) was investigated using adsorption employing biochar (EWB) generated from eucalyptus wood waste. The EWB was characterized using analytical techniques such as surface area analysis (SAA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). The study determined that the most effective conditions to achieve maximum anthracene adsorption (98.40%) were as follows: an initial concentration of 40 ppm, a contact time of 60 min, a pH level of 5, a temperature of 50 °C, and an adsorbent dose of 0.4 g. Isotherms and kinetic models were utilized to evaluate the adsorptive capacity of anthracene. The kinetic analysis results indicate that the anthracene adsorption process onto the EWB is controlled by a pseudo 2nd order kinetic model. The experiment's findings showed that the Langmuir isotherm model provided the most accurate fit to the data. Also, error function analysis was performed. The exothermic and spontaneous nature of the adsorption process is evident based on the values of thermodynamic parameters, including enthalpy (ΔH°), Gibbs free energy (ΔG°), and entropy (ΔS°). The outcomes were also contrasted with the capabilities of a few commercial adsorbents in real-world applications. According to this investigation, the novel EWB exhibits a significant potential, which exceeds 95%, for the extraction and recovery of anthracene from industrial wastewater.