The removal of hazardous picric acid is of great importance to making healthy and drinkable water. In this research, a nanocomposite (MWCNT-EDTA-CMC) based on carboxylated multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-COOH) modified by carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and ethylenediamintetraacetic acid (EDTA) was prepared for adsorption and removal of picric acid from aqueous solutions. MWCNT-EDTA-CMC was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). Central composite design (CCD) was used to study the influence of pH, adsorbent dosage, and initial picric acid concentrations on the removal percentage of picric acid. At optimum conditions (pH 3.0, MWCNT-EDTA-CMC dosage 0.050 g, picric acid concentration 30 mg L À1 ), high removal efficiency (97.67%) was obtained for picric acid which was reasonably well predicted by the model. The adsorption process was demonstrated by the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm models for both adsorbents. In addition, the consumed MWCNT-EDTA-CMC could be reused up to 3th cycle of regeneration.adsorption, carbon nanotube, central composite design, desorption, picric acid 1 | INTRODUCTION 2,4,6-trinitrophenol or picric acid is one of the most acidic phenols which is an explosive material like other strongly nitrated organic compounds. [1] It has also been used in the production of explosives, medicine, dyes, fungicides, and the oxidation of metal surfaces. [2][3][4] Hence, in during these processes, it could release into the environment such as the atmosphere, water, and soil and thus, cause serious health problems for example lung, liver, and kidney damages or an allergic skin reaction since picric acid is toxic if swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. [5][6][7] Industrially, picric acid is especially hazardous because it is volatile and slowly sublimes even at room temperature. So, the removal of picric acid from aqueous solutions has been a major focus of research and is vital.Up to now, various methods for instance, degradation, [8] oxidative destruction, [9] solvent extraction, [10] biodegradation, [11] electrochemical, [12] and adsorption [13] were applied to remove picric acid. In the middle of these methods, adsorption process has been recognized as one of the major methods for picric acid removal since this process is commonly easy to handle, cost effectiveness, high efficiency,