The application of a solvophobic approach for predicting the sorption of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOC) was evaluated with data collected using synthetic sorbents and soils. The experimental data consisted of batch equilibrium sorption coefficients (K sub D), as well as soil-TLC and reversed-phase liquid chromatographic (RPLC) retention factors (k prime). All data were collected using aqueous solutions and binary or ternary solvent mixtures of water, methanol, acetone, and acetonitrile. As predicted by the theory, the chromatographic retention factors and sorption coefficients for HOC decreased log-linearly with increasing fraction of organic cosolvent in binary solvents. Model parameters estimated from the binary solvent data could be used to predict sorption (or retention) from ternary solvents. Reasonable agreement was found between model parameters reported in the literature and those estimated using the data from batch sorption, soil-TLC, and RPLC studies. (Copyright (c) Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.)