Here,　valonia　tannin　and　sulfhydryl　functional　groups　were　added　to　the　cellulose　aerogel　from　waste　textiles　to　form　a　thiol-modified　tannin-immobilized　cellulose-based　aerogel　(TVTCA)　with　selective　adsorption　and　outstanding　reducing　properties.　This　aerogel　was　then　utilized　to　recycle　Au(III)　in　the　water.　The　resulting　3D　TVTCA　contained　abundant　-SH　groups　and　phenolic　hydroxyl　groups　and　exhibited　stable　crystal　structure　and　good　thermal　properties.　TVTCA　showed　excellent　Au　(Ⅲ)　adsorption　performance　(598.3　mg/g　of　maximum　adsorption　capacity)　and　strong　reductivity　(78　%).　The　adsorption　process　was　conducted　using　both　the　pseudo-second-order　kinetic　model　and　the　Langmuir　adsorption　isotherm　model.　In　addition,　TVTCA　displayed　excellent　anti-interference　ability.　Even　though　the　coexisting　ions　concentration　was　as　high　as　100　mmol/L,　TVTCA　still　owned　a　high　Au　adsorption　capacity　(178.91–224.14　mg/g)　and　selectivity　factor　(29.16–2629.34),　which　was　much　higher　than　valonia　tannin-immobilized　cellulose-based　aerogel　(VTCA).　Furthermore,　the　recycling　of　Au　with　TVTCA　mainly　included　adsorption　and　in-situ　reduction　processes.　The　mechanisms　involved　the　electrostatic　interaction　and　chelation　effects,　which　were　ascribed　to　the　introduced　sulfhydryl　groups.　Meanwhile,　the　in-situ　Au　reduction　was　mainly　caused　by　the　studies　showing　that　the　high　adsorption　capacity　of　TVTCA　was　owing　to　the　phenolic　hydroxyl　groups　on　the　introduced　valonia　tannin.　All　the　findings　would　provide　a　new　way　to　achieve　the　recycling　of　precious　metals　from　wastewater　by　using　valuable　cotton　waste.　©　2024　Elsevier　B.V.