A thermodynamic equilibrium model has been developed to describe amino acid adsorption on microporous materials. The model addresses electrostatic, hydrophobic and steric interactions. A procedure for fitting the model's parameters is presented and should be applicable to the majority of the common 20 amino acids. The approach is demonstrated using experimental measurements of L-phenylalanine and L-arginine on zeolite beta. Between the adsorption mechanisms of ion exchange and physisorption, the first can contribute as much as two-thirds of the phenylalanine adsorbed at saturation. For the materials tested, ion exchange is maximized when the zeolite's silicon-to-aluminum ratio is 12. When this atom ratio is raised to 100, ion exchange no longer plays a significant role, but the amount physisorbed increases by 30%.