In　this　work,　the　adsorption　characteristics,　including　adsorption　kinetic,　isotherm　and　thermodynamics　of　chloramphenicol　(CAP)　onto　powdered　activated　carbon　(PAC),　were　carried　out,　and　the　feasibility　of　using　ultrasound　to　regenerate　saturated　PAC　in　aqueous　solution　was　evaluated.　The　adsorption　results　demonstrated　that　the　adsorption　mechanism　was　a　complex　process　including　surface　adsorption,　external　liquid　membrane　diffusion　and　intraparticle　diffusion　as　well,　and　the　adsorption　process　was　endothermic　and　non-spontaneous.　The　optimal　conditions　for　PAC　regeneration　were　as　follows:　acoustic　density　of　0.36　W/mL,　saturated　carbon　dosage　of　1.0　g/L　and　pH　value　of　10.36.　The　analysis　of　thermogravimetric　analysis　(TGA),　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectrometry　(FTIR),　Brunauer-Emmett-Teller　(BET)　surface　area,　pore　size　distribution　and　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM)　of　PAC　samples　revealed　that　ultrasound　mainly　acted　on　surface　functionalities,　meso-pores　and　macro-pores　of　PAC　through　hydroxyl　radical　oxidization,　high-pressure　shock　waves　and　high-speed　microjets　due　to　cavitation　effect.　This　study　highlighted　that　ultrasound　could　be　efficiently　desorbing　CAP　from　saturated　PAC.　Practical　applications　of　this　method　for　PAC　regeneration　with　complex　natural　matrices　under　environmentally　realistic　conditions　were　conducted　and　the　adsorption　capacity　of　the　regenerated　PAC　decreased.　[GRAPHICS]　.