Aluminum hydroxide-poly[acrylamide-co-(acrylic acid)], AHAMAA, was synthesized with a redox initiator by solution polymerization in which the effects of reactant contents were optimized. The effects of pH, temperature, and initial dye concentration on Congo red reduction were investigated. A mixture of Congo red and direct blue 71, and the composite textile dye wastewater were investigated. Adsorptions of both dyes were more effective in the nonbuffered solution than those in the buffered solution, and Congo red adsorbed more than direct blue 71 at all pHs. The adsorption of Congo red increased with increasing temperature and its initial concentration. Both dyes obeyed the Freundlich adsorption isotherm. The maximum adsorptions in 100 mg dm(-3) solution were 109 +/- 0.5 mg g(-1) and 62 +/- 6.6 mg g(-1) for Congo red and direct blue 71, respectively. At 150 mg dm(-3) of the mixed Congo red and direct blue 71, the adsorption was 142 +/- 2 mg g(-1) by 643 +/- 3 mg dm(-3) AHAMAA. The 40 mg g(-1) dyes of the textile effluent wastewater were adsorbed by 500 mg dm(-3) AHAMAA. AHAMAA could decrease turbidity of the composite wastewater containing a mixture of reactive and direct dyes from 405 to 23 NTU. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 50:1535-1546, 2010. (C) 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers