A Zn3Al-type layered double hydroxide (LDH) was impregnated with methyltri-nbutylammonium chloride (IL) in order to obtain a functionalized material (IL-LDH). Both materials were utilized as adsorbents for phenol and chromate from water. The results show that the functionalized material has better adsorption capacities than the starting material. Four equations (Langmuir, Freundlich, Langmuir-Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson) were taken into consideration in order to describe the adsorption equilibrium