Adsorption of both copper and cyanide ions in the absence and in the presence of their complexes at TiO2-solution interfaces was investigated. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the possibility of removing heavy metal ions, exemplified by Cu(II), from aqueous solution in the presence of a ligand, e.g., CN-. Several parameters such as pH and Cu(II) and CH- ion concentration that may affect the magnitude of copper and cyanide adsorption were studied. The equilibrium of Cu-CN speciation distribution in solution and stability constant calculations have been investigated to determine the adsorption behavior of Cu(II). Results revealed that free Cu(II) ions (in the absence of CN-) were completely separated at pH >= 8, while the adsorption of free cyanide ions, in the absence of Cu(II), reached a maximum value of 48% at pH 7. For Cu-CN complexes, the presence of CN-in excessive amount with respect to Cu(II) retarded the adsorption of Cu(II). This is attributed to the formation of multivalent anionic cyano-copper complexes such as Cu(CN)(3)(2-) and Cu(CN)(4)(3-). (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.