Due　to　the　low　concentration　of　silver　in　water,　most　of　the　cellulose　adsorbents　exhibited　low　removal　efficiency,　which　greatly　limited　their　practical　applications.　Herein,　a　cellulose　aerogel　modified　by　thiosemicarbamide　(CAT)　was　fabricated　for　reducing　and　adsorbing　silver　ions　from　low　concentration　wastewater.　The　characterization　results　concluded　that　CAT　owned　a　three-dimensional　spongy　structure　with　many　circular　microspheres　and　a　better　specific　surface　area　(19.37　m2 g−1),　as　well　as　the　functional　groups　of　CN+H　and　(CS)N.　The　static　batch　adsorption　experiments　demonstrated　that　CAT　could　reached　the　maximum　removal　percentage　of　94.94%　and　adsorption　capacity　of　42.12　mg　g−1　under　the　initial　concentration　of　Ag(I)　was　15　mg　L−1　and　the　pH　value　was　7.　Meanwhile,　the　adsorption　of　Ag(I)　on　CAT　was　second-order　reaction,　and　the　Langmuir　model　could　better　fit　the　adsorption　process.　In　addition,　CAT　exhibited　wide　pH　values　(1–9)　adaptability　and　excellent　adsorption　performance　for　silver　through　electrostatic　interaction,　chelation,　and　reduction.　This　study　probably　provides　a　new　method　as　well　as　important　experimental　data　and　theoretical　reference　for　the　removal　of　silver　ions　and　other　metals.　©　2021　Wiley　Periodicals　LLC.