Developing criteria for the recovery of ionic liquids from aqueous phase by adsorption with activated carbon

► Adsorption of 27 ionic liquids from water was studied on a variety of 12 adsorbents. ► Selection criteria on adsorbent properties for effective IL adsorption were proposed. ► The influence of molecular structure of IL on adsorption was analyzed. ► The regeneration of exhausted ACs was successfully achieved using acetone. ► The IL was recovered without structural changes by atmospheric distillation.