CO32--intercalated Cu-Al layered double hydroxide (CO3 center dot Cu-Al LDH) was calcined to yield Cu-Al oxide, and then ethylenediaminetetraacetate-intercalated Cu-Al LDH (edta center dot Cu-Al LDH) was prepared by reconstructing Cu-Al oxide in edta solution. Decomposition of CO3 center dot Cu-Al LDH occurred in four stages. The production of Cu-Al oxide was caused by the thermal decomposition of CO3 center dot Cu-Al LDH until the third stage. The first stage was the elimination of adsorbed surface water and interlayer water in CO3 center dot Cu-Al LDH. The second and third stages were the dehydroxylation of the brucite-like octahedral layers and the elimination of CO32- intercalated in the interlayers. The edta center dot Cu-Al LDH was found to take up Y3+ in aqueous solution. The uptake of Y3+ was caused not only by the chelating function of Hedta(3-) in the interlayer but also by the chemical behavior of Cu-Al LDH itself. The edta center dot Cu-Al LDH was found to selectively take up rare earth ions from a mixed solution. The degree of uptake was high, in the order Sc3+ > Y3+ > La3+ for all time durations, which was attributable to differences among the stabilities of Sc(edta)(-), Y(edta)(-) and La(edta)(-). (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.