Adsorption of BTX (benzene, toluene, o-xylene, and p-xylene) from aqueous solutions by modified periodic mesoporous organosilica

► A PMO was synthesized by combining a silica source and a surfactant. ► XRD, BET, TG, NMR, as well as GC-MS analyses were performed. ► The PMO had hexagonally ordered mesopores, resistant to heating up to 340 °C. ► The adsorption of BTX onto the PMO in aqueous medium was evaluated. ► Both kinetic and isotherm models were tested.