To　reduce　the　high　energy　consumption　during　the　traditional　ordinary　distillation　process　for　recycling　N,N-dimethyl　formamide　(DMF),　this　paper　utilized　the　NKA-II　macroporous　adsorptive　resin　in　combination　with　a　distillation　process　to　recycle　DMF　in　wastewater.　First,　the　adsorption　equilibrium　data　were　measured　in　the　intermittent　agitation　tank,　which　showed　that　the　DMF　adsorption　equilibrium　on　the　NKA-II　resin　complies　with　the　Henry　equation.　The　dynamic　experimental　studies　indicated　that　the　adsorption　temperature　has　little　effect　on　the　adsorption　process;　the　flow　rate　and　the　bed　height　affect　the　breakthrough　time　but　have　little　effect　on　the　mass　transfer　zone.　With　the　combination　of　the　fixed-bed　adsorption　model　and　the　breakthrough　curve,　the　surface　diffusion　coefficient　of　the　DMF　on　the　resin　in　the　fixed　bed　was　approximately　3.50×10-10　to　1.06×10-9m2s-1.　The　simulated　values　were　in　good　agreement　with　the　breakthrough　curves　determined　by　experiments.　Furthermore,　ethanol　was　selected　as　a　better　desorption　agent.　The　appropriate　desorption　conditions　were　determined　to　be　a　flow　rate　of　8.00×10-5ms-1　to　1.58×10-4ms-1　and　a　temperature　of　308-318K.　Under　these　conditions,　the　desorption　rates　were　all　greater　than　99%.　Finally,　wastewater　that　contained　5%　DMF　was　used　as　an　example　to　analyze　the　energy　consumption.　The　results　indicated　that　the　adsorption-distillation　process　can　reduce　the　energy　consumption　by　79%.　The　adsorption-distillation　process　has　a　good　applicable　value　for　the　recovery　of　DMF　in　wastewater,　especially　for　wastewater　with　a　low　concentration　of　DMF.　©　2013　The　Institution　of　Chemical　Engineers.