The adsorption of Acid dye, C.I. Acid Red 151 from aqueous solution onto modified hectorite at different concentrations and pH has been studied. Hectorite clay has been modified using two cationic surfactants, cetyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride and cetylpyridinium chloride. Present experimental study shows that acidic pH favours enhanced adsorption. The adsorption isotherms are described by means of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The adsorption capacity has been found to be 208.33 and 169.49 mg g(-1) for the modified cetyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride-hectorite (CDBA-hect) and cetylpyridinium chloride (CP-hect), respectively. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.