Effects of organic acids(acetic acid,tartaric acid and citric acid)on adsorption of Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ by goethite and bentonite were studied with the batch method.The results show that Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ adsorption by the tested minerals was promoted by organic acids low in concentration(<0.6 mmol L^-1),whereas the adsorption was inhibited with the concentration of the organic acids rising.The inhibiting effect of the organic acids on Pb²⁺ adsorption by goethite and bentonite were stronger than on Cd²⁺ adsorption when the concentration was >1.0 mmol L^-1.The effect of change in concentration of the organic acids on Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ adsorptions varied with minerals,and was more obvious on goethite than on bentonite.The effect of the organic acid on Cd²⁺ adsorption intensity on bentonite was greater than on goethite even if the concentration of added Cd²⁺ varied.The effect of low concentration organic acid promoting Cd²⁺ adsorption by bentonite was more obvious when the concentration of Cd²⁺ was high(8.0 mmol L^-1)than when it was low(0.4 mmol L^-1),but the inhibiting effect of high concentration organic acids on Cd²⁺ adsorption by bentonite remain approximate whether the concentration of Cd²⁺ was high or low.The Cd²⁺ adsorption by goethite was more obviously promoted by tartaric acid and citric acid than by acetic acid when they were low in concentration (<0.6 mmol L^-1),but the promoting effects of the three organic acids on Cd²⁺ adsorption by goethite were similar.When the concentrations(>1.0 mmol L^-1)of the organic acids were high,their effects on Cd²⁺ adsorption by goethite were stable,but the Cd²⁺ adsorption by bentonite was more obviously restricted by citric acid than by acetic acid or tartaric acid.The effects of the three kinds of organic acids on Pb²⁺ adsorption on two minerals were almost the same.