Agricultural　biomass　wastes　of　longan　seed　and　mangosteen　skin　were　collected　as　precursors　to　prepare　activated　carbons　(LS-AC-5　and　MS-AC-5,　respectively)　through　carbonization　at　medium　temperature　and　KOH　activation　at　high　temperature.　Their　pore　structures,　structural　properties　and　surface　morphologies　were　characterized　by　X-ray　diffractometer,　Brunauer–Emmett–Teller　surface　measurement　system,　and　scanning　electron　microscopy,　respectively.　Effects　of　contact　time　and　pH　on　adsorption　performances　of　samples　were　investigated　by　removal　of　Pb(II)　ions　and　Rhodamine-b　from　aqueous　solutions.　Experimental　adsorption　isotherms　of　Rhodamine-b　and　Pb(II)　ions　on　LS-AC-5　and　MS-AC-5　fitted　well　with　the　Langmuir　model.　Results　further　showed　that　MS-AC-5　exhibited　a　larger　surface　area　of　2960.56　m2/g　and　larger　portions　of　micropores　and　mesopores　(pore　volume　of　1.77　cm3/g)　than　LS-AC-5　(surface　area:　2728.98　m2/g;　pore　volume:　1.39　cm3/g).　Maximum　monolayer　adsorption　capabilities　of　1265.82　and　117.65　mg/g　for　Rhodamine-b　and　Pb(II)　ions　on　MS-AC-5　were　higher　than　those　on　LS-AC-5　(1000.20　and　107.53　mg/g),　respectively.　©　2017　Desalination　Publications.　All　rights　reserved.