In this study, the adsorption properties of unexpanded and expanded perlite samples in aqueous cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) solutions were investigated as a function of ionic strength, pH, and temperature. It was found that the amount of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide adsorbed onto unexpanded perlite was greater than that onto expanded perlite. For both perlite samples, the sorption capacity increased with increasing ionic strength and pH and decreasing temperature. Experimental data were analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and it was found that the experimental data were correlated reasonably well by the Freundlich adsorption isotherm. Furthermore, the isotherm parameters (K-F and n) were also calculated. The adsorption enthalpy was determined from experimental data at different temperatures. Results have shown that the interaction between the perlite surface and CTAB is a physical interaction, and the adsorption process is an exothermic one. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.