The MnO 2 nanoparticle-loaded activated carbon (MnO 2 -NP-AC) as an efficient, environmental friendly and cost-effective adsorbent was simply synthesized and characterized using different techniques such as FE-SEM, EDX, XRD, BET and FTIR. The rapid and simultaneous ultrasound-assisted adsorption of brilliant green (BG), crystal violet (CV) and methylene blue (MB) dyes with severe spectra overlap was investigated onto MnO 2 -NP-AC as a novel and efficient adsorbent. The dyes in their ternary mixtures were simultaneously determined using third order derivative spectrophotometry. Response surface methodology (RSM) was successfully applied to analyze and optimize the adsorption process. The optimal conditions for pH, adsorbent dosage, initial dyes concentration and sonication time were obtained to be 7.0, 0.022 g, 6 mg L -1 and 4 min, respectively. Predicted and experimental data were found to be in good agreement. Artificial neural network (ANN) was applied for the accurate prediction of percentages of dyes removal from their ternary solution by MnO 2 -NP-AC adsorbent.The experimental equilibrium data were modeled by applying different isotherm models. The Langmuir model was found to be the most applicable one for describing the experimental equilibrium data obtained at optimal condition. A small amount of MnO 2 -NP-AC adsorbent (0.005 g) was successfully used for the removal of dyes (RE > 90.0%) in very short time (4.0 min) with high adsorption capacity in single component system (206.20, 234.20 and 263.16 mg g -1 for BG, CV and MB, respectively). Kinetics study showed the applicability of the secondorder kinetic model.Methylene blue (MB) (Fig 1a) as a thiazine cationic dye is commonly used for coloring paper and hair, 3 dyeing of cotton, wood, and silk. 4 Although MB is not highly hazardous; it can cause some harmful effects in humans such as increased heart rate, shock, vomiting, jaundice, cyanosis, quadriplegia, and tissue necrosis. 4Brilliant green (BG) (Fig 1b) is one of the most important dyes within the category of dye stuffs, which has been extensively used for dying silk, wool, leather, jute, cotton, biological stain, dermatological agent, veterinary medicine, green ink manufacture, intestinal parasites, fungus textile dying and paper printing. Therefore, wastewater of these industries is highly colored and causes water pollution which should be treated before its disposal. 5As a typical cationic dye, Crystal violet (CV) (Fig 1c) belongs to triphenylmethane group which is widely applied in coloring paper, temporary hair colorant, dyeing cottons, and wools. CV may harm the body via inhalation, ingestion and skin contact. It has also been found to cause cancer and severe eye irritation to human beings. 6, 7 Therefore, it is very essential to remove BG, CV and MB from industrial effluents.Various techniques, such as adsorption and biosorption, 8-13 membrane process, 4 coagulation, 14 flocculation, 15 photo decomposition, 16 electrochemical oxidation, 17 have been used for the removal of dyes from wastewater. ...