Amagnesia–pullulan　(MgOP)　composite　has　been　developed　to　remove　phosphate　from　a　synthetic　solution.　In　the　present　study,　the　removal　of　phosphate　by　MgOP　was　evaluated　in　both　a　batch　and　dynamic　system.　The　batch　experiments　investigated　the　initial　pH　effect　on　the　phosphate　removal　efficiency　from　pH　3　to　12　and　the　effect　of　co-existing　anions.　In　addition,　the　adsorption　isotherms,　thermodynamics,　and　kinetics　were　also　investigated.　The　results　from　the　batch　experiments　indicate　that　MgOP　has　encouraging　performance　for　the　adsorption　of　phosphate,　while　the　initial　pH　value　(3–12)　had　a　negligible　influence　on　the　phosphate　removal　efficiency.　Analysis　of　the　adsorption　thermodynamics　demonstrated　that　the　phosphate　removal　process　was　endothermic　and　spontaneous.　Investigations　into　the　dynamics　of　the　phosphate　removal　process　were　carried　out　using　a　fixed　bed　of　MgOP,　and　the　resulting　breakthrough　curves　were　used　to　describe　the　column　phosphate　adsorption　process　at　various　bed　masses,　volumetric　flow　rates,　influent　phosphate　concentrations,　reaction　temperatures,　and　inlet　pH　values.　The　results　suggest　that　the　adsorption　of　phosphate　on　MgOP　was　improved　using　an　increased　bed　mass,　while　the　reaction　temperature　did　not　significantly　affect　the　performance　of　the　MgOP　bed　during　the　phosphate　removal　process.　Furthermore,　higher　influent　phosphate　concentrations　were　beneficial　towards　increasing　the　column　adsorption　capacity　for　phosphate.　Several　mathematic　models,　including　the　Adams–Bohart,　Wolboska,　Yoon–Nelson,　and　Thomas　models,　were　employed　to　fit　the　fixed-bed　data.　In　addition,　the　effluent　concentration　of　magnesium　ions　was　measured　and　the　regeneration　of　MgOP　investigated.　©　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature　2019.