Results showed that silica aerogel and silica aerogel-activated carbon composites had high tendencyfor benzene and ethyl benzene adsorption. Silica aerogel showed maximum adsorption capacity of 2.3 g g−1and0.7 g g−1in static adsorption of benzene and ethyl benzene respectively. Also, in dynamic adsorption of benzene andethyl benzene, silica aerogel had maximum equilibrium adsorption capacity of 0.954 g g−1and 0.219 g g−1respectively.Minimum equilibrium adsorption capacity in benzene and ethyl benzene static adsorption was related to activatedcarbon with 0.7 g g−1and silica aerogel–2 wt% activated carbon with 0.25 g g−1respectively. After adsorption process,silica aerogel and silica aerogel–0.5 wt% activated carbon composite were regenerated by solvent extraction–thermaltreatment method and, after at least 15 adsorption/desorption cycles, their adsorption capacity became fixed.© 2014 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.