The adsorption and desorption of isoliquiritigenin and liquiritigenin to different types of carbon nanotubes （CNTs） were comparatively studied in this study. The pore structure, specific surface area, surface morphologies and functional groups of the CNTs were tested by N2 adsorption, scanning electron microscope （SEM） and infrared spectra （IR）. The investigation of dynamic adsorption, isothermal equilibrium adsorption and desorption of isoliquiritigenin and liquiritigenin to CNTs demonstrated that the adsorption amount on oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes （o-MWCNTs） was greater than that on raw multi-walled carbon nanotubes （r-MWCNTs）, especially the adsorption of isoliquiritigenin to o-MWCNTs. The data of equilibrium adsorption were better represented by the Freundlich isotherm model. In addition, the adsorbed amount per unit CNTs was decreased when the temperature got higher. From the results of isothermal equilibrium adsorption and desorption to CNTs, it could be inferred that o-MWCNTs had higher adsorption to isoliquiritigenin and liquiritigenin than r-MWCNTs. Additionally, o-MWCNTs had a better desorption efficiency to isoliquiritigenin and liquiritigenin （about 48.57% and 32.86%） than r-MWCNTs （about 24.56% and 17.46%）.
