Heavy metal and dye removal from groundwater and industrial wastewater is currently an important environmental concern. Adsorption is recognized as an effective and economic method for the removal of pollutants from wastewaters. Chitosan is an efficient chemical for the absorption of many classes of dyes and heavy metal ions. Chitosan is industrially produced from crustacean shell wastes. An alternative source for this biopolymer is the cell wall of zygomycetes fungi. Although chitosan has a high adsorption capability, it has weak mechanical property; thus, physical or chemical modifications to prevent the dissolution of chitosan in strong acids is necessary. In this research, fungal and shrimp chitosan powder (CH) and modified chitosan beads for the removal of two acidic textile dyes (Acidic reddish violt 7 and Direct yellow 12) and four anodizing dyes including Sanodal deep black MLW(SDB), Sanodal red B3LW (SR), Sanodal green 3LW (SG), Sanodye blue G (SB) as well as lead and nickel, from aquae solutions were studied. Fungal chitosan (FCH) produced from the cell wall of Mucor indicus grown on a meduim containing palm date syrup, was extracted via a two step extraction process involving alkali and lactic acid treatments. Chitosan- caustic Soda (CS), CS beads treated in glutardialdehide (CS-GLU) and chitosan-tripolyphosphate (CTPP) beads were synthesized and the beads were used for adsorption of Pb(II) and Ni(II) ions and acidic dyes. The experimental data were correlated with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. At 32 ?C and pH 5.5, the maximum adsorption capacities of Pb(II) ions on FCH, CH, CS and CTTP based on the Langmuir isotherm model were 100, 142, 142 and 111 mg/g biosorbent, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacities of Ni(II) ions on FCH was 16 mg/g. In conformity with Longmuir model, maximum adsorbtion capacity of SG on CH, CS, CTTP and CS-GLU was 62, 500, 333 and 343 mg/g respectively while it was correspondingly 71,167,125 and 111 mg/g for SR and 16,10,4 and 125 mg/g for Acidic reddish violt 7. Kinetics data for dyes adsorption on CH were evaluated based on the pseudo-first, pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion models. Intraparticle diffusion was the best model for dyes adsorbtions
