In　order　to　improve　the　adsorption　capacity　of　polypyrrole,　two　inexpensive　and　renewable　biological　resources　containing　abundant　functional　groups　were　used　to　achieve　novel　polypyrrole-based　composites.　Three　low-cost　polypyrrole-based　composites,　polypyrrole-chitosan-lignosulfonate　(PPY-CS-LS),　polypyrrole-chitosan　(PPY-CS)　and　polypyrrole-lignosulfonate　(PPY-LS)　were　prepared　via　an　in-situ　polymerization　of　pyrrole　monomers　with　chitosan　(CS)　and/or　lignosulfonate　(LS)　as　dispersants.　PPY-CS-LS,　PPY-CS　and　PPY-LS　nanoparticles　with　average　diameters　of　50　nm,　73　nm　and　213　nm,　respectively,　were　obtained　with　pyrrole/oxidant　molar　ratio　of　1:1,　and　the　contents　of　CS　and/or　LS　of　10　wt%.　Selective　adsorption　properties　of　the　three　composites　for　six　dyes　were　investigated.　Results　showed　that　PPY-CS-LS　and　PPY-CS　composites　possessed　much　higher　selectivity　for　acid　(anion)　dyes,　especially　for　Congo　red　(CR);　the　removal　efficiencies　of　PPY-CS-LS　and　PPY-CS　composites　for　CR　were　up　to　99.3%　and　95.4%,　respectively,　when　the　initial　concentration　of　CR　was　60　mg　L−1　at　the　adsorption　temperature　of　30　°C.　The　adsorption　equilibrium　time　for　CR　was　30　min,　which　was　more　rapid　than　those　of　other　reported　PPY-based　adsorbents.　The　results　suggested　that　the　PPY-CS-LS　composite　exhibited　a　high　adsorption　performance　for　dyes　because　of　the　synergistic　effects　of　amino/hydroxyl-containing　functional　groups　from　CS,　sulfonic　groups　from　LS,　and　nitrogen-containing　functional　groups　from　PPY　chains.　Furthermore,　the　adsorption　processes　were　feasible　and　spontaneous.　Therefore,　a　productive　route　to　fabrication　of　low-cost　PPY–based　composite　nanoparticles　with　controllable　size　and　high　dye　adsorption　ability　was　achieved.　©　2017　Elsevier　Ltd