The adsorption performance of chitosan (CS) hydrogel beads was investigated after multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) impregnation for the removal of congo red (CR) as an anionic dye. The study of the adsorption capacity of CS/CNT beads as a function of the CNT concentration indicated that 0.01% CNT impregnation was the most useful for enhancing the adsorption capacity. The sulfur (%) in the CS/CNT beads measured by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) was 2.5 times higher than that of normal CS beads after CR adsorption. Equilibrium adsorption isotherm data of the CS/CNT beads exhibited better fit to the Langmuir isotherm model than to the Freundlich isotherm model, and the heterogeneity factor (n) value of the CS/CNT beads calculated from the Sips isotherm model was close to unity (0.98). The maximum adsorption capacity of CS/CNT beads obtained from the Langmuir model was 450.4 mg g(-1). (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.