A system and process for the recovery of at least one anesthetic from a gas stream including at least two anesthetics. The recovery includes adsorption by exposing the gas stream to an adsorbent. The adsorbent is then regenerated by exposing the adsorbent to a purge gas under conditions which efficiently desorb the at least two anethetics from the adsorbent. The at least two anesthetics (and impurities or reaction products) are condensed from the purge gas and subjected to fractional distillation to provide a recovered anesthetic.