Here　a　strategy　by　designing　a　series　of　hyper-cross-linked　polystyrene　resins　(HCLRs)　with　highly　selective　adsorption　ability　toward　hazardous　2,4-dinitrotoluene　from　nitrophenol　sodium　salt-rich　real　industrial　wastewater　was　reported.　Macroporous　cross-linked　chloromethylated　polystyrene　was　self-crosslinked　or　crosslinked　with　ligands,　i.e.　toluene,　aniline,　and　phenol　to　produce　2,4-dinitrotoluene　affinitic　HCLR-0,　HCLR-T,　HCLR-A　and　HCLR-P,　respectively.　The　ultrahigh　affinity　through　the　like　dissolves　like　mechanism　toward　2,4-dinitrotoluene　was　validated　by　adsorption　experiments,　i.e.　isotherm,　kinetics,　thermodynamics,　effect　of　pH　&　2-nitrophenol　sodium　salt　and　dynamic　column　adsorption-desorption　investigations.　They　showed　ultrahigh　adsorption　capacities　toward　2,4-dinitrotoluene,　reaching　628.9,　621.1,　657.9　and　641.0　mg/g　for　HCLR-0,　HCLR-T,　HCLR-A　and　HCLR-P　at　303　K,　outperforming　their　matrix　cross-linked　chloromethylated　polystyrene　of　79.2　mg/g　and　XAD-4　of　286　mg/g　very　much.　This　advantage　was　also　reflected　in　the　dynamic　adsorption　study　with　promising　breakthrough　and　saturated　capacities　of　195.8　and　334.4　mg/mL　wet　HCLR-As,　respectively.　The　HCLRs　also　featured　interesting　impurity　affectless　properties,　in　which　2-nitrophenol　sodium　salt　showed　no　influence　on　the　2,4-dinitrotoluene　capture　even　in　high　concentration.　With　the　interesting　properties　shown　above,　the　HCLR-A　column　worked　very　well　in　the　large-scale　real　industrial　wastewater,　and　could　also　be　fully　recycling　used　through　simple　low-cost　treatment.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd