Adsorption of brilliant blue FCF dye using coal based the granular activated carbon from aqueous solution was investigated. Batch experiments were carried out as a function of the adsorbent dose, initial concentration, contact time and temperature. The equilibrium adsorption data were fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin models. The results indicate that Freundlich model provides the best correlation of the experimental data. Base on the estimated Freundlich constant (1/n = 0.129∼0.212), this process could be employed as an effective treatment method. Adsorption data were modeled using the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic equations. It was shown that the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation could describe well the adsorption kinetics. The negative Gibbs free energy value (-4.81∼-10.33 kJ/mol) and positive enthalpy value (+78.59 kJ/mol) indicated that the adsorption was a spontaneous and endothermic process.