As　a　kind　of　biomass　that　exists　widely　in　plants,　lignin　shows　much　diversity　as　a　functional　material.　In　order　to　improve　the　adsorption　ability,　lignin　was　chemically　modified　by　5-sulfosalicylic　acid　and　then　used　to　adsorb　methylene　blue　(MB)　and　Pb　2+　from　aqueous　solutions.　The　results　showed　that　the　5-sulfosalicylic　acid　modified　lignin　exhibited　a　high　adsorption　ability　for　dyes　or　heavy　metals.　The　maximum　adsorption　capacity　of　the　adsorbent　approached　83.2　mg/g　for　MB　and　39.3　mg/g　for　Pb　2+　with　the　adsorbent　dosage　of　5　g/L　at　pH　5.85　or　5.35　(corresponding　to　MB　or　Pb　2+　,　respectively),　initial　adsorbate　concentration　of　200　mg/L,　temperature　of　318　K　and　contact　time　of　12　h.　The　adsorption　kinetics　and　isotherm　studies　indicated　that　both　the　adsorption　of　MB　and　Pb　2+　onto　SSAL　followed　the　pseudo-second-order　model　and　Langmuir　isotherm　model.　It　means　that　the　adsorption　process　fits　the　model　of　mono-layer　adsorption　and　it　was　mainly　chemical　process　and　accompanied　with　surface　adsorption.　The　proposed　SSAL　is　low-cost,　eco-friendly　and　highly　efficient　therefore　a　promising　material　for　adsorptive　removal　of　MB　and　Pb　2+　from　wastewater.　©　2018　Elsevier　B.V.