Here we report on the adsorption performance of calcium alginate (Ca-Alg2) and Ca-Alg2 with encapsulated graphene oxide (Ca-Alg2/GO) gel bead adsorbents for the successful removal of Cu2+ ions from aqueous solution. Different adsorbent doses, Cu2+ concentrations and contact times were investigated using equilibrium and kinetic studies. The adsorbents were characterized using Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and focussed ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM). The equilibrium adsorption data were fitted to Langmuir isotherms and the maximum adsorption capacities of the Ca-Alg2 and Ca-Alg2/GO gel beads were found to be 42.7mgg-1 and 60.2mgg-1, respectively. The equilibrium adsorption data were fitted to a pseudo-second-order kinetic equation showing that the Ca-Alg2 gel beads had a higher kinetic adsorption rate at 0.0425gmg-1min-1 compared to Ca-Alg2/GO at 0.0179gmg-1min-1.