In this study the adsorption characteristics of toluene , pyridine and benzene by raw and surfactant modified Jordanian bentonite was investigated .The modification of the bentonite was done using hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (HDTMA-Cl), C19H42N Cl. Batch studies were performed to evaluate the effect of experimental parameters such as initial concentration, contact time and PH on the adsorption process. The raw and the modified (organobentonite) were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), UV/VIS spectroscopy and cation exchange capacity methods. It is found that the removal of benzene, from aqueous solution using natural bentonite ranges from 22.7 to 39.2%, for pyridine from 27.2 to 87.4% and for toluene from 36.2 to 97.5%. While for organobentonite it ranges from 15.1 to 45.9%, from 52.9 to 74.9%, and 18.4 to 97.5% respectively. The optimum PH was found to be 4.95 for benzene, 4.12, for pyridine and 9.9 for toluene, using natural bentonite, while 3.91, 4.98 and 9.9 using organobentonite respectively. It is observed that the amount adsorbed increase with time till the saturation point, after this the removal of pollutants remains in the same range.
