The hydrotalcite-supported Pd-Cu catalysts were successfully prepared by the impregnation or coprecipitation method, and their adsorption and catalytic reduction activity for nitrate in water were evaluated. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and surface area (BET) analysis. The results demonstrated that hydrotalcite-supported Pd-Cu catalysts could significantly adsorb nitrate ions, and then, effectively catalytically reduce them. The excellent adsorption ability for nitrate resulted from the regenerated layer structure of calcined hydrotalcite catalyst in nitrate aqueous solution. Nitrate was forced into the interlayer space and adsorbed on the external surface. The adsorption kinetics and the adsorption isotherm could be well described by pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir model, respectively. The comparison of catalytic reduction with the adsorption for nitrate indicated that catalytic hydrogenation activity for nitrate increased with increasing adsorption capacity; nitrate reduction on hydrotalcite-supported Pd-Cu catalysts was a consecutive and dynamic adsorption and catalytic hydrogenation process. In addition, the catalyst obtained by coprecipitation method, with intact regeneration of hydrotalcite structure and a high dispersion of active metals, hold higher adsorption and catalytic activity than that prepared by co-impregnation method. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reseved.