An inexpensive adsorption method has been developed for the removal of indigo carmine, a highly toxic indigoid class of dye from wastewater. Waste materials-bottom ash, a power plant waste and de-oiled soya, an agricultural waste have been used as adsorbents. Attempts have been made through batch and bulk removal of the dye and both the adsorbents have been found to exhibit good efficiency to adsorb indigo carmine. Under batch technique effect of temperature, pH, concentration, dosage of adsorbents, sieve size of adsorbents, etc. have been observed. The dye uptake on to both the adsorbents is found to validate Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms models. Different thermodynamic parameters, like Gibb's free energy, enthalpy and entropy of the on-going adsorption process have also been evaluated. Batch technique has also been employed for the kinetic measurements and the adsorption follows a first order rate kinetics for both the adsorbents. The kinetic investigations also reveal for both the adsorbents film diffusion and particle diffusion mechanisms are operative in the lower and higher concentration ranges, respectively. Under the bulk removals indigo carmine has been adsorbed through the column beds of bottom ash and de-oiled soya and more than 90% of the dye material has been recovered by eluting dilute NaOH solution through exhausted columns. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.