Pyrene and phenanthrene are mainly carcinogenic substances as a kind of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Numerous researchers have used sorption technology to remove PAHs in aqueous solution. In this study, we provide some results for sorption efficiency with grafted cellulose as adsorbent for removal of pyrene and phenanthrene. Benzoyl cellulose and stearoyl cellulose were prepared by simple chemical method grafting cellulose with benzoyl and stearoyl chlorides in dimethylacetamide. We present the sorption efficiency of the grafted cellulose derivatives comparing with normal cellulose and survey reusability of the adsorbents. This study might be a good case to prove potential application of carbohydrate in the environmental industry.