Pristine　montmorillonite　(Mont)　was　used　as　raw　materials　to　prepare　hydroxyl-Fe-pillared　Mont,　hydroxyl-Al-pillared　Mont,　and　hydroxyl-Fe-Al-pillared　Mont　composites.　By　varying　the　OH/Fe　and　Fe/Al　molar　ratios　during　the　preparation　of　the　pillared　Mont,　the　adsorption　capacity　of　zearalenone　(ZEA)　and　the　kinetics　were　elucidated.　The　characterization　of　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD)　and　Fourier　transform　infrared　(FT-IR)　spectroscopy　reveals　the　adsorption　mechanism　of　pristine　and　modified　Mont.　The　results　indicated　that　the　ZEA　adsorption　capacity　is　Mont　(0.05　mg/g)　＜＜　1.5OH/Fe-Mont　(0.28　mg/g)　＜＜　OH/Al-Mont　(0.51　mg/g)　＜　0.5Fe/Al-Mont　(0.56　mg/g)　in　the　condition　of　pH　=　8　and　37°C,　in　which　both　0.5Fe/Al-Mont　and　OH/Al-Mont　reached　maximum　adsorption　capacity　and　1.5OH/Fe-Mont　attained　5　times　the　capacity　of　Mont.　Adsorption　isotherm　studies　revealed　that　Freundlich　adsorption　isotherms　best　represented　the　experimental　data.　The　kinetic　data　for　ZEA　adsorption　revealed　that　the　Mont　adsorption　capacity　for　ZEA　equilibrates　in　1　hour　and　is　best　described　using　the　pseudo-second-order　rate　equation.　The　XRD　analysis　indicated　that　the　amplification　of　Fe-dominant　pillared　Mont　interlayer　spacing　is　the　main　reason　for　the　observed　increases　in　the　adsorption　capacity　of　ZEA,　while　Al-dominant　pillared　Mont　has　a　relatively　stable　Keggin　structure;　therefore,　interlayer　spacing　is　not　the　primary　mechanism　for　changes　in　the　adsorption　capacity　of　both　OH/Al-Mont　and　Al-dominant　pillared　Mont.　An　FT-IR　analysis　demonstrated　that　cationic　exchange　was　the　dominant　mechanism　that　allowed　ZEA　and　hydroxyl-Al　ions　to　enter　the　Mont　interlayers,　while　this　cationic　exchange　mechanism　was　not　the　dominant　mechanism　used　by　hydroxyl-Fe　entering　the　Mont　layers.　©　2020　Shengqiong　Fang　et　al.