An adsorbent has been prepared from Populus alba using the NH4Br-soaked activated carbon (NBAC) for cyanide removal. A series of tests have been conducted to evaluate the influence of the main parameters such as the wastewater pH, reaction time, cyanide concentration, and the NBAC quantity obtained upon the adsorption of cyanide onto NBAC. At an optimum pH of 9, more than 97% of the 200 mg/L cyanide is removed by a low NBAC dose of 1.25 mg/L during a 40 min contact time. Kinetic and isotherm modeling studies demonstrate that the experimental data best fit a pseudo-second order and Langmuir model, respectively. The maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity has been attained 102.5 mg/g at 24 degrees C. Thermodynamic study of cyanide adsorption by NBAC has also been carried out. The efficacy of NBCA has been examined by analyzing the removal of cyanide from an industrial wastewater. Overall, NBAC is an efficient and low-cost adsorbent for the removal of different concentrations of cyanide from wastewaters.