In this paper, highly porous polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous membranes were successfully fabricated by wet-electrospinning technique from PAN and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) blended solution using hot water bath as extractor, and then aminated with diethylene triamine (DETA). The obtained aminated PAN (APAN) nanofibrous mats showed unique micro/nano structures and possessed extra high extraction capability for the removal of lead ions (Pb2+) from aqueous solution (maximum uptake capacity of Pb2+ was up to 1520.0 mg/g), and could maintain over 90% of its extraction capacity at the sixth cycle of extraction-dissociation. Interestingly, the hexagonal crystals of basic lead(II) carbonate (Pb-3(CO3)(2)(OH)(2)) grown on micro! nano structured APAN nanofibers were observed when APAN membrane was immersed in Pb(II) ions aqueous solution. The results provided new insights for the removal of metal ions by metal crystal growth from wastewater with high recovery. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.