Recently,　removal　of　trace　hazardous　organic　contaminants　in　the　water　is　still　a　challenge　work　and　attracting　a　growing　number　of　concerning.　Herein,　a　photo-responsive　cellulose　based　intelligent　imprinted　material　(PR-Cell-MIP)　was　fabricated　through　SI-ATRP　(surface-initiates　atom　transfer　radical　polymerization)　and　employed　for　the　selective　adsorption　of　a　typical　pesticide　residue,　2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic　acid　(2,4-D).　The　characterization　results　showed　that　the　obtained　PR-Cell-MIP　displayed　2-D　petal-like　laminar　sheet　and　owned　ample　functional　groups　such　as　N　=　N,　COCl　and　–COOH.　The　photo-responsive　tests　confirmed　the　excellent　photo-isomerization　property　of　PR-Cell-MIP,　leading　to　a　satisfactory　regeneration　during　the　2,4-D　adsorption.　Batch　adsorption　experiments　demonstrated　that　the　2,4-D　adsorption　followed　Frendlich　adsorption　isotherm.　Meanwhile,　the　higher　equilibrium　template　bindings　(89.03%),　lower　specific　binding　constant　KD　(11.601　mg　L−1)　and　apparent　maximum　number　Qmax　(11.039　mg　g−1)　suggested　much　higher　adsorption　performance　of　PR-Cell-MIP　than　that　of　the　non-imprinted　polymer　(PR-Cell-NIP).　The　selectivity　experiments　revealed　that　PR-Cell-MIP　presented　better　specificity　towards　2,4-D　than　its　structural　analogues.　In　addition,　the　PR-Cell-MIP　also　displayed　outstanding　stability,　reusability　(8　cycles)　and　green　regeneration.　Furthermore,　the　selective　adsorption　and　green　regeneration　were　attributed　to　the　exposure　and　blockage　of　specific　recognition　sites,　allowing　the　precise　and　reversible　switching　of　the　host-guest　interaction　between　receptor　sites　and　2,4-D.　These　findings　will　provides　a　fundamentally　technical　basis　for　the　remediation　of　the　trace　hazardous　pollutants.　©　2020　Elsevier　B.V.