To improve UiO-66's adsorption capacity towards methylene blue (MB) of low concentrations, an efficient modulator, butyric acid, has been successfully employed to regulate its defect levels using a modulation method. The butyric acid regulated UiO-66 has higher degree (6.08 %) of defects, larger mass loss (8.63 %) from 248 to 440°C, lower BDC 2À /Zr molar ratios (0.86) and higher specific surface area (1186 m 2 /g) than those (5.86 %, 6.98 %, 0.90, and 1024 m 2 /g, respectively) of the most studied acetic acid modulated one. Furthermore, its SEM images also show the near-spherical shapes and the formation of many wrinkles/grooves on the outer rough surfaces. Hence when the concentration of MB is as low as 40 mg/L, it can still reach a higher adsorption capacity (143 mg/g) than the mostly studied acetic acid modulated one. The saturated adsorption capacity of UiO-66 (Butyric acid) almost reaches 765 mg/g, much better than other adsorption materials. In comparison, the acetic acid regulated one shows slightly lower specific surface areas, less defective structures, smoother surface and more polyhedral shapes. It thus reaches a smaller adsorption capacity of about 97 mg/g despite in a rather short time (~5 min). The underlying mechanism for the above different adsorption behaviors is also addressed. Overall, it is suggest that the butyric acid can significantly change the defect levels in UiO-66 and thus improve its MB adsorption uptake.