Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing unwanted substances from media such as water and soil. Various industrial waste water streams can be treated simply and effectively to remove therefrom such unwanted substances as petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals, phenolics, salt, ethylene glycol, and strontium, and sea water can be similarly treated to remove salt as well as petroleum hydrocarbons therefrom. Waste water or sea water is contacted with zeolite in the presence of a surfactant, and optionally hydrophobic cellulose, to effect removal of the unwanted substances therefrom; and soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons, salt or agricultural chemicals can be rejuvenated by mixing the soil with zeolite and a surfactant followed by washing. The apparatus and method provides simultaneous removal of a wide variety of unwanted substances from a feed stream passed therethrough, in contrast to prior art procedures effective to remove only one such substance per treatment.