The aim of this work is to compare the simultaneous sorption of copper and lead ions from a binary aqueous solution in the presence and in the absence of ultrasound. The experiments under sonication were carried out by 20-kHz apparatus. Results indicated that the removal of copper and lead ions from a binary aqueous solution was greater in the presence of ultrasound than in control method. The removal of these ions was examined by varying experimental conditions such as the amount of sorbent, contact time, and temperature. In addition, the competitive sorption of ions was considered with different concentrations of each ion under the constant total concentration. The Langmuir isotherm model fits adequately the experimental data. In point of kinetics, the second-order kinetic model describes the sorption process for both ions. it was found that more than 90% of the lead and 60% of the copper ions was removed in less than 2 min from the solution under sonication. The thermodynamic parameters such as Delta G degrees, Delta H degrees, and Delta S degrees were determined for the sorption of Cu2+ and Pb2+ from the temperature dependence of the sorption process. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.