The invention discloses a preparation method of a 2-mercaptopyridine modified magnetic carbon nanotube porous adsorbent. The preparation method is characterized by comprising the following steps of firstly, oxidizing a carbon nanotube; magnetizing, so as to obtain a magnetic carbon nanotube porous material; aminating the magnetic carbon nanotube porous material, so as to obtain the aminated magnetic carbon nanotube porous material; adding 78 to 85% of tetrahydrofuran, 1 to 4% of 2-mercaptopyridine and 8 to 16% of aminated magnetic carbon nanotube porous material into a reactor in percentage by mass, stirring, dripping 1.5 to 5.5% of fumaryl chloride, stirring at constant temperature of 85+/-2 DEG C, stirring, and refluxing to react for 5h; cooling, washing by deionized water to neutral state, separating solid and liquid, and drying, so as to obtain the 2-mercaptopyridine modified magnetic carbon nanotube porous adsorbent. The 2-mercaptopyridine modified magnetic carbon nanotube porous adsorbent has the advantages that the adsorbing capacity on silver is high, the selective adsorbing capacity on silver is high, the cost is low, the mechanical strength is low, the adsorbent can be repeatedly used for not less than 10 times, and the separation is easy.