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Cellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), prepared from rice straw, were used for hydrogel preparation, separately or in a mixture of both of them in a ratios of 1:1, 1:4, 1:9, 2:3 and 3:7 (by weight).They were polymerized with partially neutralized acrylic acid (AA) in the presence of potassium persulphate, as initiator, and vinylsulphone (VS), as cross-linker. Moreover, glutaraldehyde, N,N-methylene bis acrylamide (MBA) and Epichlorohydrin (ECH) were used as cross-linker for the mixture of 1:1 of Cellulose: CMC. The mechanism of the polymerization was studied and the resulted hydrogels were characterized for their appearances, yields percentage, and water absorbencies. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and XRD analysis were also investigated for the hydrogel samples. Since the textile industry produces large volumes of wastewaters which contain hazardous compounds such as dyes, heavy metals like Cu(II), and surfactants, so we aimed in this research to use the hydrogel samples for Cu2+ absorption that can be presented in the wastewater. The FT-IR spectrum, before and after absorption, indicated that the prepared hydrogels were able to absorb the Cu2+. The Cu2+ ions can be recovered and dried to be reused again as well as the hydrogel samples can be available again for reuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]