The present study deals with the simultaneous analysis and adsorption of Basic Yellow 28 and Basic Red 46 dyes in binary mixture onto bentonite. First order derivative spectrophotometric method was used for simultaneous analysis of BY28 and BR46 in binary mixtures. The adsorption experiments were carried out in a batch system. The mono-and multi-component Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied to experimental data and the isotherm constants were calculated for BY28 and BR46 dyes. The monolayer coverage capacities of bentonite for BY28 and BR46 dyes in single solution system were found as 256.4 mg/g and 333.3 mg/g, respectively. It was observed that the equilibrium uptake amounts of BY28 and BR46 dyes in binary mixture onto bentonite decreased considerably with increasing concentrations of the other dye resulting in their antagonistic effect. The adsorption equilibrium data fitted more adequately to mono-component Langmuir isotherm model than mono-component Freundlich isotherm model, while the extended Freundlich isotherm model adequately predicted the multi-component adsorption equilibrium data at moderate ranges of concentration. Thermodynamic parameters showed that adsorption of BR46 and BY28 was endothermic and spontaneous in nature. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.