Clay minerals saturated with different exchangeable cations are expected to play various roles in photodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) via direct and/or indirect pathways on clay surfaces. In the present study, anthracene and phenanthrene were selected as molecule probes to investigate the roles of exchangeable cations on their photodegradation under visible light irradiation. For five types of cation-modified smectite clays, the photodegradation rate of anthracene and phenanthrene follows the order: Fe3+ >Al3+ > Cu2+ >> Ca2+ > K+ > Na+, which is consistent with the binding energy of cation-pi interactions between PAHs and exchangeable cations. The result suggests that PAHs photolysis rate depends on cation-pi interactions on clay surfaces. Meanwhile, the deposition of anthracene at the Na+-smectite and K+-smectite surface favors solar light absorption, resulting in enhanced direct photodecomposition of PAHs. On the other hand, smectite clays saturated with Fe3+, Al3+, and Cu2+ are highly photoreactive and can act as potential catalysts giving rise to oxidative radicals such as O-2(-center dot), which initiate the transformation of PAHs. The present work provides valuable insights into understanding the transformation and fate of PAHs in the natural soil environment and sheds light on the development of technologies for contaminated land remediation.