Cadmium phosphate with rectangle layers morphology has been synthesized by a convenient method of solid-state template reaction at room temperature, and was characterized by several methods. The sample cadmium phosphate showed the average length/width of the layers within the range of 0.8-1.5 mu m, and it had a strong fluorescence emission peak centered at 306 nm. Moreover, we also studied its absorption properties for Hg(II) and Ag(I) ions, and found that its excellent absorption capacity for Hg(III) and Ag(I) could reach to 3.14 and 2.96 mmol g(-1), and its absorption ratio was 92.7% and 84.4%, respectively, at pH 5.98, T= 15 degrees C and the absorption time t = 24 h. (C) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.