In the current study, we attempt to find a new adsorbent material based on chitosan, so a series of N-succinyl-chitosan (NSC) with different degree of substitution (DS) were prepared, and then the adsorption properties of them as adsorbent were examined. The effects of DS of NSC, pH value in original solution and adsorption temperature on adsorption capacities for Pb(II) ions were investigated, and the cross-linked N-succinyl-chitosan resin with Pb(II) as template ion (CNSC) was synthesized by NSC adsorbed Pb(II) ions cross-linked with glutaraldehyde and then removing Pb(Il) ions from the resin. In the study of the single metal ions adsorption and the co-adsorption experiments of mixture solutions, it was found that the adsorption capacities of CNSC for Pb(II) ions were always higher than that of the NSC. The CNSC has a good reusability and better adsorption capacities after reuse for 10 times. FT-IR and XPS revealed that the Pb(II) adsorption on the CNSC and NSC mainly involved the carboxyl groups, and partly occur on the amino groups in the adsorption process. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.