Abstract: Volatile organic compounds( VOCs) produced in coal chemical processes are complex,toxic and harmful. In order to avoid the harm of VOCs and its photochemical in coal chemical industry to the environment and human health,and based on the analysis of VOCs emission control and treatment technology,it is pointed out that the adsorption technology of VOCs is an economic and effective removal technology that can control VOCs emission,recover adsorption materials and valuable VOCs. Based on the analysis of the physical and chemical process of VOCs adsorption and its influencing factors,as well as the process and method of desorption,the modification research and development of commonly used adsorption materials were summarized and analyzed. By comparing the structure,adsorption characteristics and advantages and disadvantages of different adsorption devices,the combination of VOCs adsorption technology and other technologies in practical engineering application were compared and analyzed. Finally,the future research direction of adsorption technology was prospected. The factors that affect the adsorption process include the physical and chemical properties of adsorption materials,such as structural properties,surface chemical properties and thermal stability,the molecular properties of VOCs,the interaction between adsorbents and adsorbents,the competition between different adsorbents,and the adsorption environment,etc. The physical adsorption process includes: external surface value transfer adsorption stage,internal surface diffusion stage,equilibrium stage between pores with different pore sizes; adsorbent micropores provide the main adsorption sites,while adsorbent mesopores and macropores enhance the diffusion channels of VOCs. The adsorption material has excellent VOCs adsorption capacity after proper modification; the content of oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface of activated carbon fiber can be increased and the adsorption capacity can be enhanced by H2 O2 impregnation and modification. The surface of the activated carbon is modified by concentrated sulfuric acid with strong oxidation to enhance the adsorption capacity of the activated carbon for nitrogen. The surface area of activated carbon modified by alkaline hydroxide is increased,the surface functional groups are increased by acid modification,and the porosity is improved by KOH activation. It is necessary to select suitable adsorption devices according to the characteristics of VOCs,such as types,concentrations,flow rates and emissions.Adsorption technology is an economic,effective and promising technology to control the emission of VOCs from coal chemical industry and recycle valuable VOCs. It can be combined with other technologies to treat VOCs and recycle valuable VOCs,so as to achieve VOCs emission standard. The future research of adsorption technology can focus on the modification of adsorption materials( or directional modification),new modification methods and new adsorption materials,high-efficiency and low-cost adsorption device,simultaneous removal of multi-component adsorbate,and put forward the research idea of composite adsorption device for multi-component VOCs adsorption and desorption.