The effect of adsorption and desorption in anaerobic biological activated carbon process was investigated. Phenol (100mg/L) was fed to lab-scale fluidized bed reactor as a single carbon source at iday of HRT. Influent phenol concentration was temporarily changed to 0 or 500mg/L for one or two days. Effluent phenol concentration was stable and methane activity was maintained during the changed period and about 5% of adsorbed phenol (100mg/gGAC) was desorbed. Physicochemical desorption test showed that about 10% of adsorbed phenol (100mg/gGAC) could be desorbed. And a substarte gradient model of three phases, namely, bulk liquid, biofilm and GAC, was suggested to explain some characteristics in BAC process which were observed in this study.