The use of sodium alginate and chitosan in treating waste water containing heavy metal ions has been studied in this paper. The effect of the concentration and ratio of chitosan and sodium alginate, treatment temperature and time on the efficiency of Cu(II) ion removal was investigated. Results showed that when used in combination, sodium alginate and chitosan were effective in removing Cu(II) ions from waste water. The treatment was applied to other heavy metal ions such as cadmium, lead and silver ions, and the treatment efficiency was compared. Results showed that when used in combination, the separation of polymeric absorbents from waste water is better than when chitosan and sodium alginate are used alone.