The　present　work　aimed　to　develop　two　kinds　of　novel　adsorbents,　carboxylated　chitosan　magnetic　microspheres　(EDCMM)　and　submicrospheres　(EDCMSM),　for　comparative　study　of　Pb2+　removal.　Several　techniques,　including　SEM,　TEM,　FTIR,　BET　and　VSM,　were　applied　to　characterize　the　adsorbents.　Batches　of　tests　were　conducted　to　investigate　the　Pb2+　adsorption　at　different　pH　values,　contact　time,　initial　Pb2+　concentrations　and　temperatures.　EDCMSM　with　higher　specific　surface　area　and　a　lower　content　of　carboxyl　had　faster　initial　absorbing　rate　but　lower　adsorption　capacity　for　Pb2+　than　that　of　EDCMM.　The　adsorption　processes　for　both　EDCMM　and　EDCMSM　fitted　well　with　pseudo-second-order　model　and　were　dominated　by　chemical　reaction　process.　The　isotherm　data　for　both　adsorbents　were　well　described　by　the　Langmuir　model,　which　suggested　monolayer　adsorptions.　Thermodynamics　analysis　suggested　that　the　adsorption　processes　of　both　EDCMM　and　EDCMSM　were　endothermic　and　spontaneous　in　nature.　Both　adsorbents　still　exhibited　good　adsorption　performances　after　the　fifth　adsorption-regeneration　cycle.　All　these　results　indicated　that　both　EDCMM　and　EDCMSM　might　be　promising　adsorbents　for　the　Pb2+　removal.　(C)　2015　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.