Abstract: The ceramsite adsorbent is prepared from power plant waste (fly ash, slag) and dewatered sludge as raw materials. Through adsorption influencing factor experiment, desorption regeneration experiment, adsorption kinetic model and adsorption isotherm model fitting, and ceramsite characterization analysis, the adsorption characteristics of ceramsite to Pb²⁺ are explored, and at the same time, new ideas are provided for the realization of waste resource utilization. The results showed that the optimal adsorption conditions for ceramsite to treat lead-containing wastewater were as follows: particle size, pH value, adsorption time and adsorption temperature were 4 mm, 4.5~5.0, 360 min and 25 ℃, respectively. The best desorbent used in the regeneration of ceramsite was 0.5 mol/L HCl solution, which the best desorption time and times were 120 min and 5 times respectively. The removal rate of Pb²⁺ by the ceramsite after 5 times of desorption was 92.67%. This adsorption process better followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Freundlich adsorption isotherm model. The CH₂, Si-O and O-H functional groups on the ceramsite played a major role in the adsorption of Pb²⁺.After the ceramsite adsorbed Pb²⁺, new phases Pb₂Cl₃OH and PbO appeared. The chemical adsorption occurred between the ceramsite and Pb²⁺, which was a spontaneous exothermic reaction. The removal rate of Pb²⁺ in the actual wastewater treated by ceramide could reach 93.70%, and the concentration of Pb²⁺ decreased from 3.74 mg/L to 0.24 mg/L.