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Laboratory research under defined conditions has been conducted on the effect of powdered activated carbons (one thermally activated, and one chemically activated powdered carbon) on the removal and/or biodegradation of xenobiotic compounds (o-cresol and 3-chlorobenzoate) in aerobic bacterial cultures. The research was carried out using mineral medium with one xenobiotic compound at a time (single-solute systems). Aim of the research was to reveal the interaction between sorption and biodegradation. During shock-load conditions bioregeneration of the loaded activated carbon occurred. The consumption of previously adsorbed compounds resulted in the renewal of the adsorption capacity of the carbon. Batch experiments showed that the extent to which bioregeneration occurred was in close accordance with the extent to which adsorption proved to be reversible under abiotic conditions. Bioregeneration is controlled by desorption. Bioregeneration varied from 15 to 85% of the adsorbed amount, and abiotic desorption from 11 to 94%, depending upon the type of carbon, the compound used and the contacttime between them.