The removal of the pollutant Supranol Yellow 4GL (S.Y.4GL) was studied by using different clays: clay exchanged with sodium (BNa+) and hydroxyaluminic polycation pillared clays in the presence or absence of non-ionic surfactant. While decomposing the surfactant at 500 degrees C, the surface of the clay changed significantly. The study of the behaviour of the three clays with respect to coloring solutions, allowed to determine the equilibrium time and the rate-determining step of the dye S.Y.4GL adsorption. Two simplified kinetic models, were tested to investigate the adsorption mechanisms in terms of pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order equations. Besides, the adsorption capacity data were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich equations as well. A better fixation was obtained with an acidic pH. The effect of temperature on the adsorption of dye has been also studied and the thermodynamic parameters Delta G degrees, Delta H degrees and Delta S degrees were determined. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.