Magnetic　chitosan　(CS)　cross-linked　gelatin　(Gel)　polymer　composites　(MCGC)　were　fabricated　by　reacting　CS　with　Gel　in　the　present　of　carboxyl　modified　Fe3O4　nanoparticles　and　cetyltrimethylammonium　bromide　using　glutaraldehyde　as　a　crosslinking　agent.　MCGC　possessed　high　zeta　potential,　abundant　active　functional　groups　including　amino　and　hydroxyl　groups　and　facile　magnetic　separation　properties.　The　prepared　MCGC　exhibited　excellent　adsorption　performance　for　AR　18　and　the　adsorption　capacity　reached　as　high　as　344.63　mg/g.　The　adsorption　kinetics　was　fitted　well　with　the　pseudo-second　order　model,　while　the　adsorption　isotherms　followed　the　Redlich-Peterson　equation　best.　The　thermodynamic　studies　indicated　the　adsorption　process　was　exothermic　and　spontaneous.　The　adsorption　mechanism　was　studied　including　electrostatic　interaction,　hydrogen-bond　interaction　and　π-π　stacking　between　dyes　and　MCGC.　Desorption　and　renewable　experiments　proved　MCGC　possessed　high　regeneration　properties　and　reusability　as　an　adsorbent.　©　2023　Elsevier　B.V.