This study was performed to investigate adsorption characteristics of MTBE and Cd depending upon types of clay minerals md their physicochemical properties. The adsorption characteristics were examined by batch adsorption test on various experimental parameters such as adsorption time, ratio of solution to soil, concentration of contaminants, content of organic matter, pH, and zeta potential. The adsorption efficiency of MTBE or Cd for three types of clays decreased in response to the increase of the ratio of solution to soil whereas their adsorbed amounts increased. MTBE was greatly adsorbed in the decreasing order of vermiculite, bentonite, and CTAB-bentonite while Cd was adsorbed in the decreasing order of bentonite, vermiculite, and CTA-bentonite. An equilibrium isotherm for MTBE was well fitted to Freundlich plotting whereas that for Cd was closely corresponded to Langmuir isotherm. The adsorbed amount of MTBE on bentonite and vermiculite showed the maximum at 1% and 5% of humic acid, thereafter diminished while the adsorbed amount of MTBE on CTAB-bentonite increased in proportion to humic acid. Conversely, the adsorbed amount of Cd on the addition of humic acid continued to increase regardless of types of adsorbents. For all types of adsorbents, adsorbed quantity and adsorption efficiency of Cd have been coincidently increased at pH 8 and they were further enhanced at pH 10 showing 90% adsorption efficiency. Upon pH rose, the zeta potential on each adsorbent began to decrease, while increasing Cd concentration led to decline of zeta potential, which in turn ascribed to lowering dispersion stability that could consequently enhance adsorption capability.