Deposition　of　excessive　phosphate　in　natural　water　column　caused　several　issues,　like　the　eutrophication　and　destruction　of　aquatic　ecosystems.　Adsorption　has　been　an　effective　and　convenient　method　for　phosphate　elimination.　Herein,　a　novel　bimetallic　metal–organic　framework　adsorbent,　namely,　La-Zr-MOF,　was　prepared,　and　the　morphology,　crystallite,　characteristic　functional　groups,　specific　surface　area,　and　composite　material　surfaces　were　analyzed　using　XRD,　FT-IR,　SEM-EDS,　and　BET.　The　adsorption　performance　of　the　adsorbent　was　systematically　evaluated　by　batch　adsorption　experiments,　and　the　adsorption　thermodynamic　and　kinetic　properties　were　analyzed.　The　results　reveal　that　La-Zr-MOF　exhibits　a　high　selectivity　and　sorption　performance　for　phosphate,　and　the　adsorption　of　La-Zr-MOF　follows　the　Langmuir　and　pseudo–second-order　models;　the　phosphate　removal　procedure　is　a　chemisorption　accompanied　by　an　endothermic　reaction,　and　the　maximum　capacity　was　127.7　mg　g−1.　Combined　with　batch　adsorption　experiments,　kinetic　and　thermodynamic　studies　and　various　characterization　analyses　together　revealed　the　phosphate　removal　mechanism,　mainly　ligand　exchange　and　electrostatic　interactions.　©　2024　John　Wiley　&　Sons　Ltd.