This　study　describes　the　synthesis　of　a　lignin　sulfonate　polymer　based　on　a　simple　emulsion　polymerization　from　lignin　sulfonates　derived　from　the　accessible　by-products　of　paper　pulp　and　the　adsorption　properties　of　the　lignin　sulfonate　polymer　towards　dyes.　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FT-IR)　was　employed　to　characterize　the　successful　synthesis　of　the　lignin　sulfonate　polymer.　The　lignin　sulfonate　polymer　presents　selective　adsorption　of　cationic　dyes　in　aqueous　solution,　with　a　percentage　adsorption　of　malachite　green　exceeding　95%　at　pH　7.　The　effects　of　pH,　sorbent　amount,　initial　malachite　green　concentration　and　temperature　on　the　adsorption　properties　have　been　discussed.　4　kinetic　models　and　3　isotherm　models　were　employed　to　evaluate　the　experimental　data.　The　results　indicated　that　the　adsorption　kinetics　data　fit　a　pseudo　second-order　kinetic　model　and　the　Langmuir　adsorption　isotherm　was　applicable　for　the　adsorption　of　malachite　green　onto　the　lignin　sulfonate　polymer.　Furthermore,　the　thermodynamic　analysis　(the　values　of　Delta　G(0)　are　negative　and　between　-20　and　0　kJ　mol(-1),　the　values　of　Delta　H-0　and　Delta　S-0　are　positive)　demonstrates　that　the　adsorption　process　of　malachite　green　onto　the　lignin　sulfonate　polymer　is　endothermic,　spontaneous　and　random.　The　results　suggest　that　the　lignin　sulfonate　polymer　is　a　low-cost,　alternative　sorbent　and　has　the　potential　to　reduce　the　refractory　chemical　oxygen　demand　(COD)　in　effluents.