Adsorption of lignocelluloses of model pre-hydrolysis liquor on activated carbon

► Pre-hydrolysis liquor was prepared using commercial sugars, lignin and furfural. ► Furfural and xylose had the highest and lowest adsorption levels on AC. ► Experimental results were most fitted into Langmuir and pseudo-second order models. ► Addition of PDADMAC to pre-hydrolysis liquor increased the adsorption on AC.