Abstract Activated carbon was prepared from Cyprus rotundus roots by pyrolysis, chloride, sulphate, carbonate and acid processes and their Cr(VI) removing capacities were found experimentally. The same experiment was repeated using the commercially available activated carbon. Both the results were compared. The experiments were repeated by altering various parameters like pH, concentration and the carbon dosage. Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms were plotted and the equilibrium isotherms were determined. The levels of adsorption capacity of the activated carbons which were obtained by plotting Langmuir adsorption isotherms were found to be 83.325 mg/g, 104.175 for Sulphuric acid processed Cyprus rotundus carbon (SCRC) in distilled water and tap water respectively. The same values of adsorption capacity from Langmuir isotherm were 227.275 mg/g and 58.15 mg/g for Commercially activated carbon (CAC) in distilled water and tap water respectively. It was found that the R2 values obtained for both the isotherms are in excellent agreement. It can be employed to explain the adsorbing capacity of Sulphuric acid treated Cyprus rotundus carbon and Commercially activated carbon. The Kinetics experiment data follows pseudo first order kinetics. The results reveal that Cr(VI) from tanneries are effectively removed by using Sulphuric acid treated Cyprus rotundus carbon.