A　cerium-modified　water　hyacinth　biochar　adsorbent(Ce-BC)was　developed　through　co-precipitation-pyrolysis　to　remove　phosphate　from　wastewater.　The　study　investigated　the　effects　of　Ce-BC　dosing,　wastewater　pH,　reaction　time,　and　coexisting　competing　ions　on　the　adsorption　process.　The　results　showed　that　the　best　adsorption　performance　was　achieved　with　a　maximum　adsorption　capacity　of　35.00　mg•g-1　at　a　Ce-BC　dosage　of　0.4　g•L-1　and　an　initial　pH　range　of　3-10　in　the　phosphate　solution.　The　adsorption　process　of　phosphate　by　the　Ce-BC　followed　the　quasi-second-order　kinetic　model,　and　a　phosphate　removal　efficiency　of　98%　within　1　h　was　achieved.　In　addition,　Ce-BC　had　a　strong　anti-competitive　anion　interference　and　a　good　regeneration　ability;　after　four　cycles　of　regeneration,　the　adsorption　efficiency　remained　above　90%.　Characterization　using　field　emission　scanning　electron　microscopy-energy　dispersive　spectrometry(FESEM-EDS),　Fourier-transform　infrared　spectroscopy(FTIR),　X-ray　diffraction(XRD),　and　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy(XPS)showed　that　the　adsorption　mechanism　of　Ce-BC　with　respect　to　phosphate　mainly　involved　ligand　exchange　and　inner　sphere　complexation.　The　Ce-BC　adsorbent　prepared　in　this　study　effectively　removed　and　recovered　phosphates　found　in　domestic　sewage,　thereby　avoiding　the　eutrophication　of　water　bodies　as　well　as　enabling　the　recovery　and　utilization　of　phosphorus　resources.　©　2021,　Science　Press.　All　right　reserved.