A　novel　spherical　sulfonic　lignin　adsorbent,　denoted　as　SSLA,　was　adopted　to　removal　and　recover　the　cationic　dyes　from　aqueous　solutions,　e.g.,　Cationic　Red　GTL,　Cationic　Turquoise　GB,　and　Cationic　Yellow　X-5GL,　and　various　affecting　factors　were　optimized.　It　was　found　that　the　adsorption　of　cationic　dyes　on　the　adsorbent　was　initially　concentration-　and　temperature-dependent,　and　followed　both　the　Freundlich　and　Langmuir　isothermal　adsorption.　The　positives　values　for　AH　indicated　that　the　process　was　endothermic.　The　breakthrough　adsorption　capacities　for　GTL,　GB,　and　X-5GL　were　536.0,　550.0,　and　582.0　mg/g,　respectively,　which　prevailed　over　the　commercial　powdered　activated　carbon　and　strongly　acidic　cation-exchange　resin　R732　evidently.　Additionally,　the　maximum　recovery　percentage　could　reach　93.2,　97.1,　and　96.5%　separately　for　GTL,　GB,　and　X-5GL,　when　a　mixture　of　3.0　mol/L　HCl　and　alcohol　with　the　volume　ratio　of　1:4　was　adopted　as　eluant.　Moreover,　the　results　of　the　mobile　desorption　and　recovery　tests　indicated　that　the　maximum　concentrations　of　GTL,　GB,　and　X-5GL　in　the　eluants　could　reach　13,108,　13,980,　and　13,520　mg/L,　respectively.　Only　6.3,　5.0,　and　4.6%　of　adsorption　capacities　for　GTL,　GB,　and　X-5GL　decreases　individually　after　20　replicates　of　adsorption　and　desorption.　©　2006　Wiley　Periodicals,　Inc.