A new chelating fiber (WJN-1) was prepared with waste PET for fast removal of Cu2+ and Ni2+ from water. Elemental analysis, SEM, contact angle, BET surface area and (CNMR)-C-13 were used to characterize WJN-1. The higher uptake capacity of Cu2+ and Ni2+ by WJN-1 was achieved at higher pH values, and the lower uptake capacity was observed in an acidic medium. Kinetic study indicated that the adsorption of Cu2+ and Ni2+ could be well fitted by the pseudo-second-order equation, suggesting intra-particle diffusion process as the rate-limiting step of the adsorption process. When the temperature was raised within the range of 278-308 K, the adsorption enthalpy changes of WJN-1 were about from 6.69 to 16.05 kJ mol(-1), and the free energy changes were about from -2.03 to -9.28 kJ mol(-1). Although the presence of Ca2+ in solution had negligible effect on the removal of Cu2+ and Ni2+, WJN-1 could remain over 90% of its adsorption capacity even if the Ca2+ concentration was up to 75 mg L-1. 1 M HCl or 0.1 M EDTA could be used as effective eluant to desorb the Cu2+ and Ni2+ adsorbed by WJN-1, and the adsorption capacity of WJN-1 for two heavy metal ions could still be maintained at 93% level at the 5th cycle. Taken together, it was expected that WJN-1 could be used as a promising adsorbent for fast removal of Cu2+ and Ni2+ from water, and the present work also might provide a simple and effective method to reuse the waste PET fibers. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.