 Squid melanin has been found to be effective at removing both cadmium and lead from water. It can bind up to 95% of each metal at a concentration of 2 mm per litre with a maximum amount of bound metal reaching 0.93 mm per G for cadmium and 0.65 mm per G for lead. Squid melanin also showed little change in its ability to remove these metals when exposed to different temperatures or pH levels. Additionally, it was found that the presence of salts such as sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, and calcium chloride did not affect the adsorption of either cadmium or lead. Furthermore, infrared spectroscopy revealed that the main functional groups responsible for the adsorption of cadmium and lead were phenols, carboxylic acids, and amines. These findings suggest that squid melanin could be used as a potential material for the removal of heavy metals from wastewater. This article was authored by Shiguo Chen, Chang Huxua, Jingfeng Wang, and others.