In this study, Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) prepared from steel pickling waste liquor were functionalized with ethylenediamine (EDA) to form EDA-Fe3O4 NPs for engineering applications. The obtained EDAFe(3)O(4) NPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface analyzer and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results showed that the EDA-Fe3O4 NPs had a crystalline structure with a particle size range of 20-50 nm and a BET surface area of 28 m(2) g(-1). Functionalization with EDA was able to improve the adsorption selectivity of Fe3O4 for Cr(VI) in Cr(VI)/CI(-)or Cr(VI)/SO42- double mixture systems. The adsorption isotherm data fitted better to the Langmuir adsorption model, and the adsorption kinetics was better described by the pseudo-second order equation. The spontaneous and endothermic characteristics of this adsorption reaction were confirmed by thermodynamic study. Based on the results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electrostatic attraction and surface complexation between Cr(VI) and EDA-Fe3O4 NPs are postulated as mechanisms for the adsorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. The EDA-Fe3O4 NPs retained a high adsorption capacity after several consecutive adsorption-desorption processes, indicating that EDA-Fe3O4 NPs serve as an excellent regenerable adsorbent for Cr(VI). (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.