Abstract: The increasing production of copper ion-containing wastewater is becoming one of the most serious environmental problems. Recently, the removal of copper ions from industrial effluents has attracted a lot of attention. In order to improve the treatment efficiency of sewage containing copper ions as well as to simplify the process, a novel macromolecule flocculant polyethyleneimine-sodium xanthogenate (PEX) was prepared by modifying polyethyleneimine with carbon disulfide and sodium hydroxide. The effects of initial Cu²⁺ concentration, pH, coexisting inorganic substances, organic substances and turbidity on the performance of trapping Cu²⁺ from aqueous solutions by PEX were studied. The recovery of copper was also investigated from the flocs. The results showed that PEX had a strong copper ion trapping capability, and the removal of Cu²⁺ could reach 100% under optimal conditions. The removal efficiency of Cu²⁺ by PEX increased with the increase of the initial pH value of the water sample, but the removal rate of Cu²⁺ decreased at the isoelectric point of PEX. When the dosage of PEX was lower, the coexistence of NaCl, CaCl₂, NaNO₃, Na₂SO₄, citric acid and sodium pyrophosphate in the water sample could promote the removal of Cu²⁺, but the existence of EDTA, aminoacetic acid and turbidity depressed the removal of Cu²⁺. However, these influences could be reduced or eliminated through increasing the dosage of PEX. The recovery rate of copper in the flocs was 100% when the flocs were immersed in nitric acid solutions for 30 days. The research showed that PEX could effectively remove and recover copper ions from aqueous solutions.