Lignosulfonate-polypyrrole　(LS-PPY)　composite　nanospheres　were　prepared　facilely　via　an　in　situ　polymerization　of　pyrrole　monomers　in　the　presence　of　lignosulfonate　as　a　dispersant　and　ammonium　persulfate　as　an　oxidant.　The　LS-PPY　composite　was　characterized　with　Fourier　Transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FTIR),　thermogravimetric　analysis,　wide-angle　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　field-emission　SEM,　and　transmission　electron　microscopy.　Uniform　LS-PPY　solid　composite　nanospheres　with　an　average　diameter　of　154　nm　were　obtained.　The　LS-PPY　composite　nanospheres　were　applied　to　adsorption　of　Ag(I)　and　Pb(II)　ions　from　aqueous　solutions.　Maximum　adsorption　capacities　of　Ag(I)　and　Pb(II)　were　up　to　759.3　mg　g-1　and　207.5　mg　g-1,　respectively.　Furthermore,　the　silver　ions　can　be　reduced　to　metallic　silver　nanowires　through　a　redox　reaction　between　the　LS-PPY　composite　nanospheres　and　the　silver　ions.　A　productive　no-template　route　to　fabrication　of　LS-PPY　composite　nanospheres　with　controllable　size　and　heavy-metal-ion　adsorption　ability　was　achieved.　©　2014　Society　of　Plastics　Engineers.