Industrial activities are the most common cause of water contamination by heavy metals, which endanger the quality of water resources and human health, due to their bioaccumulation capacity and consequent biomagnification. For this reason, the removal of metals from e uents before their discharge into the receiving water bodies is of crucial importance. This is why, in the present investigation, the biosorption processes of Cd (II) and Pb (II) in Phaseolus vulgaris L. (bean) agricultural residues (stems, leaves and leaf sheaths) were optimized. The influence of pH, biosorbent doses and initial concentration levels of metallic ions was evaluated using the response surface methodology (RSM). Quadratic models were developed for the percent removal of Cd (II) and Pb (II). Optimal biosorption conditions were attained at pH = 4.3, a 7.4 g/L biosorbent dose and an initial 9.14 mg/L concentratio...