The adsorption of vinyl sulfone type reactive black 5 (RB 5) in aqueous solution onto chitosan beads and cross-linked chitosan beads with glutaraldehyde has been investigated in terms of initial pH and temperature of the solution. The adsorption equilibrium data were correlated with three adsorption models, such as Langmuir, Freundlich and Sips isotherms. Among them, the Freundlich isotherm best fit the data over the entire pH and temperature range of the solution. The adsorption capacity of RB 5 onto chitosan beads and cross-linked chitosan beads increased with decreasing initial pH and with increasing temperature. Equilibrium amount of RB 5 on chitosan beads was greater than that of cross-linked chitosan beads at the same initial pH values. Thermodynamic studies have also been carried out and values of standard free energy (ΔGo), enthalpy (ΔHo) and entropy (ΔSo) were calculated.