The present study involves an investigation on the comparison of a Mexican clinoptilolite-heulandite zeolitic mineral and the modified zeolitic material with the surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMA) for the removal of cadmium from aqueous solutions. The effects of pH and contact time on the adsorption process were examined. The optimum pH for adsorption was found to be 7. Cadmium retention reached equilibrium in 32 h and the rate of cadmium adsorption by the zeolites was rapid in the first 10 h. Elovich's model best described the reaction rate. Batch adsorption experiments conducted at room temperature showed that the adsorption pattern followed the Langmuir-Freundlich isotherm model. The cadmium retention capacity decreased very slightly when the zeolite surface was modified with the surfactant HDTMA, and this material has advantages for its use in the removal of some other contaminants, such as anions and nonpolar organic compounds, like phenols. The results showed that natural zeolite and the surfactant modified zeolite could be considered as potential adsorbents for cadmium removal from aqueous solutions.