## 1 Introduction  
With the rapid development of modern industry and growing global attention focused on environmental sustainability, water pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental challenges. Among emerging contaminants, m-cresol (3-methylphenol), a widely used phenolic compound, is increasingly recognized as a significant pollutant due to its broad industrial applications and environmental persistence. It is commonly found in the wastewater effluents of industries like coal-based industrial processes, petrochemicals,-resin manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, surfactants, pesticides, and dyes [1; 2]. It poses serious risks to both human health and ecological systems due to its rapid absorption through the skin, the respiratory tract, and the gastrointestinal tract, followed by systemic distribution and metabolism in the liver [3]. Owing to its amphiphilic nature--comprising a hydrophobic aromatic ring and a hydrophilic hydroxyl group--m-cresol exhibits complex behavior in aqueous environments, which complicates its removal and poses considerable risks to both ecosystems and human health [3]. Therefore, the development of effective and reliable methods for the treatment of m-cresol-contaminated wastewater is of critical environmental importance. Conventional wastewater treatment methods, such as biological degradation [4], chemical oxidation [5; 6], and solvent extraction [7; 8], often suffer from limitations--including incomplete contaminant removal, the generation of secondary pollutants, and high operational costs. In contrast, adsorption is widely recognized as one of the most effective and adaptable techniques for eliminating phenolic pollutants from aqueous environments due to its operational simplicity, environmental friendliness, and relatively low energy requirements [9; 10]. Among the various available adsorbents, polymer-based resins have attracted increasing attention [11; 12]. Resin adsorption offers the advantages of effectively treating high-concentration pollutants and generating no secondary pollution [13]. The adsorption efficiency of polymer-based resins is critically governed by their intrinsic physicochemical properties, which determine the nature and strength of interactions with target contaminants, such as m-cresol. Among these properties, the type and density of surface functional groups play a central role in establishing specific chemical affinities, while the pore structure and specific surface area influence the accessibility and number of available adsorption sites. A high specific surface area, often achieved through advanced synthesis techniques, provides more active sites for adsorption, whereas a well-developed pore architecture--comprising both micropores and mesopores--facilitates rapid mass transfer and enhances contact between the XDA-1G resin surface and m-cresol molecules [14; 15]. To optimize the selective uptake of phenol and the derivatives, researchers have developed a variety of functionalized resins with tailored surface chemistries and architectures. Examples include hypercrosslinked polymers, which exhibit extensive microporosity and a rigid three-dimensional network that enhances surface accessibility; macroporous adsorbents, which provide large channels for efficient diffusion and bulk adsorption; and poly(ionic liquid)-based materials, which offer tunable polarity and charge properties for targeted binding of phenolic compounds. Among these, macroporous resins stand out due to their superior separation efficiency and practical advantages over conventional materials. These include markedly higher sample loading capacities, enhanced selectivity toward target analytes, reduced fluid resistance, improved mechanical durability, and ease of regeneration and reuse [16]. Importantly, recent studies have further highlighted the critical role of microporosity in enhancing phenol adsorption.