Fast pyrolysis is a thermochemical method that can be used for processing energy crops such as switchgrass, alfalfa, soybean straw, corn stover as well as agricultural residuals (broiler litter) for bio-oil production. Researchers with the Agriculture Research Service (ARS) of the USDA developed a 2.5 kg/h biomass fast pyrolyzer that generates bio-oil and non-condensable gases as the main products as well as a char fraction as a by-product. This study characterizes these chars for their potential for further conversion into value-added activated carbons to be used as adsorbents for environmental remediation. The final physical, chemical and adsorptive properties of the resulting activated carbons depend on the the biomass precursor. Char and activated carbon yields, surface areas, elemental analysis, electron scanning microscopy, microporosity and adsorption of both metal ions and trihalomethanes for the chars and after further activation (ex-situ), will be compared and contrasted with available commercial samples.