AbstractLube refineries in India are facing pollution problems associated with the occasional loss of furfural from their solvent recovery column bottoms in the extraction plant, which constitute both an economic loss and an environmental hazard. Although earlier studies on furfural removal by adsorption on polymeric resins concentrated on equilibrium and kinetic/breakthrough measurements in small diameter columns in the adsorption, the regeneration of the loaded resin adsorbent has not been given adequate attention. This paper focuses on these issues and also includes studies on larger diameter columns with a view to provide data for design of a pilot scale plant for furfural recovery to be set up in a lube complex. The experimental data from adsorption cycle studies indicate that the resin bed is able to treat 28 bed volumes of furfural laden water bringing down the furfural concentration from 500 ppm to less than 10 ppm. The regeneration data indicate the recovery scheme produces an aqueous stream which contains 3% furfural which has to be taken back to the solvent recovery column in the extraction complex. Adsorption and regeneration data have been simulated respectively by the LDF and diffuse wave model. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2008