This study investigates low-cost sorbents as replacements for current costly methods of removing heavy metals from solution. This investigation explores the waste iron oxide material (F1), which is a by-product of the fluidized-bed reactor (FBR)-Fenton reaction, for use in the treatment of the wastewater in Taiwan. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the F1. In this investigation, F1 are tested as adsorbents for removing copper (Cu(2+)) from aqueous solutions. The highest Cu(2+) adsorption capacity of F1 adsorbent was determined as 0.21 mmolg(-1) for 0.8 mmoldm(-3) initial Cu(2+) concentration at pH 6.0 and 300 K. Adsorption data were well described by the Freundlich model and the thermodynamic constants of the adsorption process, DeltaG degrees , DeltaH degrees and DeltaS degrees were evaluated as -6.12 kJmol(-1) (at 318 K), 9.2 kJmol(-1) and 48.19 Jmol(-1)K(-1) (at 318 K), respectively. Additionally, a pseudo-second-order rate model was adopted to describe the kinetics of adsorption.