MgFe2O4-biochar　based　lanthanum　alginate　beads　(MgFe2O4-BM-La(b))　were　prepared　and　used　for　phosphate　removal　from　aqueous　solution.　MgFe2O4-BM-La(b)　was　synthesized　via　co-precipitation　of　Fe　and　Mg　ions　onto　the　reed　precursor,　followed　by　gelation-calcination　method,　in　which　gelation　was　achieved　by　in-situ　crosslinking　of　lanthanum　alginate.　Based　on　pre-screen　adsorption　experiments,　MgFe2O4-BM-La(b)　fabricated　under　optimal　conditions　showed　the　adsorption　capacity　over　20　times　higher　than　pristine　biochar(BC),　and　about　2.5　times　higher　than　that　of　beads　without　the　addition　of　BC　or　MgFe2O4.　MgFe2O4-BM-La(b)　exhibited　favorable　mass　transfer　performance　through　kinetic　adsorption　comparison　between　powder　and　bead　type　adsorbents.　Results　from　characterization　of　MgFe2O4-BM-La(b)　showed　the　rough　morphologies　with　numerous　MgFe2O4　nanoparticles　adhered　on　the　BC　substrate,　endowed　the　bead　with　excellent　magnetic　performance　for　easy　separation.　In　fixed-bed　column　runs　of　synthetic　secondary　treated　wastewater　(STWW),　MgFe2O4-BM-La(b)　showed　the　treatment　volume　of　~1205　BV　when　effluent　phosphate　concentration　was　below　0.5　mg/L,　with　the　capacity　loss　of　about　30%　in　three　continuous　adsorption-regeneration　cycles.　These　results　illustrated　the　synergistic　effect　of　MgFe2O4,　La2O3　and　BC　during　phosphate　adsorption　in　practical　application.　The　comparison　of　FTIR　and　XPS　analyses　revealed　that　through　protonation　between　surface　hydroxyl　groups　and　H+,　the　phosphate　adsorption　of　MgFe2O4-BM-La(b)　was　dominated　by　specific　forces　ligand　exchange　and　inner-sphere　complexation,　followed　by　electrostatic　attraction.　The　superiorities　of　magnetic　bead　adsorbent　with　preferable　adsorption　capacity　and　mass　transfer　performance　suggested　that　MgFe2O4-BM-La(b)　can　serve　as　a　promising　filling　adsorbent　for　phosphate　removal　in　industrial　application.　©　2019　Elsevier　B.V.