This study aimed to determine the Pb+2 adsorption capacities of hazelnut shell and activated carbon obtained from hazelnut shell. It also aimed to determine the effect of ZnCl2 in the activation process. The hazelnut was pyrolyzed at 250 and 700 degrees C. For determining the capture speed of the adsorbents, the pseudo-first- and second-order kinetic studies were performed. The Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models were used to determine adsorption equilibrium. The surface characterization of hazelnut shell and activated carbon was determined by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis and FTIR spectrum. Pb+2 adsorption capacity of obtaining activated carbon was determined by ICP-OES analysis. The raw hazelnut shell's BET surface area is 5.92 m(2)/g and the surface area of activated carbons which is pyrolyzed at 250 and 700 degrees C were determined (270.2 and 686.7 m(2)/g, respectively. The surface area of hazelnut shell, which pyrolyzed at 700 degrees C after being activated with ZnCl2, was determined to be 736.49 m(2)/g. Results show that physical adsorption process is dominant for the activated carbon pyrolysis at 700 degrees C but the chemical adsorption is dominant for the activated carbon pyrolysis at lower degrees and for raw hazelnut shell.