The activated carbons obtained from peat were applied for simultaneous removal of low-molecular weight poly(acrylic acid) – PAA (2 000 Da) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) from their mixed solution. There were applied three samples of activated carbons: N – obtained by peat pyrolysis followed by the steam activation, N9C – obtained from N by means of physical activation with CO2 and N9K – obtained from N by chemical activation with K2CO3. The final products are characterized by mesoporous structure, well-developed surface area and specific acidic-basic properties of the surface. The effect of solution pH, influencing PAA chains conformation (changes in polymer carboxyl groups dissociation) and solid surface charge density were examined. The applied adsorbents were characterized using the low-temperature nitrogen adsorption-desorption method, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), elemental analysis and back-titration method. Moreover, the adsorption affinity of PAA and SDS for the activated carbon surface was characterized based on the adsorption and electrokinetic data obtained from the spectrophotometric experiments, potentiometric titrations and zeta potential measurements. Additionally, the sizes of poly(acrylic acid) chains (hydrodynamic radius) in the solution as a function of pH were determined based on viscosity measurements. It was demonstrated that under specific pH conditions the prepared activated carbons exhibit high adsorptive affinity for PAA chains (reaching about 265 mg/g). Furthermore, it was also proved that these adsorbents can be successfully regenerated (using an appropriate desorbing agent) and reused. Therefore the low-cost activated carbons can be used for simultaneous removal of undesirable low-molecular polymers and surfactants from wastewaters.