Magnetic　activated　carbon　particles　(MACP)　were　fabricated　using　a　facile　co-precipitation　method　and　employed　as　an　adsorbent　for　the　removal　of　Cu　ions　from　aqueous　solutions.　The　application　of　magnetic　Fe3O4　nanoparticles　significantly　enhanced　the　adsorption　capacity　and　regeneration　efficiency　of　the　MACP　adsorbents.　The　Fe3O4　magnetite　loading　onto　the　carbon　matrix　is　a　crucial　factor　for　an　efficient　removal　of　copper　ions.　The　Langmuir,　Freundlich,　and　Dubinin-Radushkevich　(D-R)　adsorption　models　were　used　to　validate　the　adsorption　isotherms.　Both　the　equilibrium　rate　constant　(Langmuir　model)　and　the　adsorption　energy　(D-R　model)　show　an　increase　in　the　deposition　of　magnetite　nanoparticles.　The　presence　of　magnetic　Fe3O4　nanoparticles　further　facilitates　the　regeneration　efficiency　of　Cu-adsorbed　intermediates　from　the　MACP　adsorbents.　Superior　magnetic　property　enabled　via　the　utilization　of　Fe3O4　nanoparticles　significantly　enhanced　the　separation　efficiency　and　regeneration　of　spent　MACP　adsorbents.　Therefore,　the　design　procedure　explained　in　this　work　for　preparing　the　MACP　adsorbents　can　be　adopted　for　various　environmental　applications　dealing　with　separation　processes.　©　2018　Elsevier　B.V.