Abstract: Activated carbons were prepared from pyrolusite-added sewage sludge by ZnCl2 activation method. Batch adsorption experiments were performed by applying the activated carbons into wastewater of synthetic reactive brilliant red X-3B. The results indicated that the addition of pyrolusite could improve the adsorptive proprties of the activated carbon. The adsorbent concentration and adsorption contact time for the optimum dye-removal were 4 g/L and 90 min, respectively, while the influence of solution pH value seemed inessential. The adsorption data were better fitted to the Langmuir isotherm than the Freundlich model in the studied dye-adsorbent system. The increase of the maximum adsorption capacity (Qm) by above 50 mg/g demonstrated that the addition of pyrolusite improved the adsorptive characteristics of the sludge-based activated carbons by playing a catalyst role during pyrolysis and adsorption process.