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Removing heavy metals from aqueous solutions has drawn more and more attentions these years because of their serious global health challenge to human society. To develop an adsorbent with low-cost and high-efficiency for removal of heavy metals (HMs), β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) polymers crosslinked with rigid aromatic groups were prepared and used for lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) removal for the first time. The negatively charged β-CD polymers with large BET surface area were suitable to be used in HMs adsorption. The adsorption process completed in 5 min was well fit by Freundlich isotherm model and pseudo-second-order model. The intraparticle diffusion model was also appropriate to describe the adsorption of Pb, Cu and Cd on β-CD polymer. The maximum of adsorption capacities at 25 °C for Pb, Cu and Cd were 196.42, 164.43 and 136.43 mg/g when the initial concentration was 200 mg/L. The HMs adsorption process on the surface of β-CD polymer was an endothermic and spontaneous process. Both of the electrostatic interaction and distribution of Pb, Cu and Cd species influenced the adsorption process at different pH values. The order of removal efficiencies in multi-component adsorption for the three metal ions were Pb > Cu > Cd. The adsorption mechanisms were H + ions on hydroxyl groups exchanged with heavy metal ions and electrostatic interactions. This study indicated that β-CD polymers could be developed into effective adsorbents for rapid removal of heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]