Batch　biosorption　experiments　were　carried　out　for　the　removal　of　Acid　Yellow　17　from　aqueous　solution　using　non-living　aerobic　granular　sludge　as　an　effective　biosorbent.　The　effects　of　solution　pH　value,　biosorbent　dosage,　initial　Acid　Yellow　17　concentration,　NaCl　concentration　and　temperature　on　the　biosorption　were　investigated.　The　experimental　results　indicate　that　this　process　was　highly　dependent　on　pH　value　and　the　pH　value　of　2.0　was　favorable.　The　Temkin　isotherm　was　more　applicable　for　describing　the　biosorption　equilibrium　at　the　whole　concentration　range　than　the　Freundlich　and　Langmuir　isotherm.　The　results　of　kinetics　study　show　that　the　pseudo-second-order　model　fitted　to　the　experimental　data　well.　Both　intraparticle　diffusion　and　boundary　layer　diffusion　might　affect　the　biosorption　rate.　Thermodynamic　studies　demonstrate　that　the　biosorption　process　was　spontaneous　and　exothermic.　The　FTIR　analysis　before　and　after　Acid　Yellow　17　binding　indicated　that　functional　groups　such　as　amine,　hydroxyl,　carboxyl　and　either　on　the　non-living　aerobic　granular　sludge　would　be　the　active　binding　sites　for　the　biosorption　of　the　studied　dye.　These　results　show　that　non-living　aerobic　granular　sludge　could　be　effectively　used　as　a　low-cost　and　alternative　biosorbent　for　the　removal　of　Acid　Yellow　17　dye　from　wastewater.　(C)　2009　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.