Magnetic carbonaceous nanoparticles were prepared by a facile two-step solution phase thermal synthesis. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with size less than 100 nm were first generated from FeCl3 in a solvothermal reaction. The size could be significantly reduced to approximately 30 nm when 1,6-hexanediamine was employed in the reaction solution to functionalize the surface of MNPs with amine. Both the plain and amine-functionalized MNPs (MH) were effectively encapsulated in the carbonaceous shell by hydrothermal treatment in 0.5 M glucose solution. The saturation magnetization of MH decreased significantly from 70 to 25 emu/g after carbonaceous shell was formed. The as-prepared magnetic carbonaceous nanoparticles (MH@C) carries a negative surface charge (-30 mV) at neutral pH and has a point of zero charge (PZC) at pH 2. The carbonaceous shell not only can protect the magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) from the corrosive environment but also possesses a high adsorption capacity towards Pb(II). The adsorption isotherm at room temperature can be well-fitted by Langmuir model with a maximum adsorption capacity of 123 mg/g. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.