In　the　purified　terephthalic　acid　wastewater　treatment　process,　a　large　amount　of　wastewater　containing　p-xylene　(PX),　Co2+,　and　Mn2+　would　be　by-produced　and　PX　needs　to　be　recycled　to　avoid　affecting　the　subsequent　treatment　process.　Fe3+-modified　ZSM-5　zeolites　were　prepared　for　selective　adsorption　of　PX,　which　were　better　than　H-ZSM-5　zeolites　and　ZSM-5　zeolites.　Moreover,　the　selectivity　factors　of　PX　to　Co2+　and　PX　to　Mn2+　attained　on　Fe-ZSM-5　can　approach　to　5365.97　and　5038.70,　respectively,　and　the　saturated　capacity　can　reach　125.0　mg·g-1.　Experimental　data　obtained　from　batch　studies　provided　a　good　fit　for　the　Langmuir　isotherm　model.　The　adsorption　process　was　a　spontaneously　exothermic　physisorption,　and　the　adsorption　of　PX　on　Fe-ZSM-5　followed　the　pseudo-second-order　rate　expression.　Production　of　granular　Fe-ZSM-5　was　further　explored,　and　the　fixed　bed　adsorption　experiment　was　carried　out.　The　adsorption　capacity　of　granular　Fe-ZSM-5　to　PX　can　reach　45.64　mg·g-1　under　better　process　conditions,　which　is　superior　to　ZSM-5　zeolites　and　activated　carbon.　It　shows　that　Fe-ZSM-5　can　be　used　as　a　highly　efficient　adsorbent　to　selectively　remove　PX　from　wastewater　with　industrial　prospects.　©　2020　American　Chemical　Society.