Recently,　zeolitic　imidazolate　framework-8　(ZIF8)　and　its　derivatives　have　been　applied　in　aqueous　contaminant　removal.　Herein,　three　types　of　ZIF8@carbon　nanotube　(CNT)　hybrids　harvesting　different　pore　structures　and　chemical　bonding　information　are　utilized　for　phosphate　removal　in　the　typical　wastewater　of　activated　sludge　system　(SW)　and　partial　nitrification-denitrification　treatment　system　(PND).　Effluent　organic　matter　(EfOM)　is　found　to　compete　with　phosphate　for　adsorption　sites　on　adsorbents,　resulting　in　reducing　adsorptive　capacities　for　phosphate,　and　the　negative　effect　trend　to　become　severer　with　increasing　EfOM　concentrations.　Thus　adverse　impact　arc　highly　to　be　relieved　by　using　ZIF8@CNT-2　(hybrids　with　CNT　dosage　of　120　mg)　with　novel　structure　design,　the　hybrid　of　which　harvests　the　highest　phosphate　removal　of　92.8-100%,　the　largest　Partition　coefficient　(PC)　of　9119.05　mg　g(-1)　pM　with　initial　concentration　of　0.96　mg　L-1　,　pH　independence　in　the　range　from　4　to　10.　Analyses　of　the　XPS　characterization　and　first-principles　calculations　demonstrate　the　dominant　interactions　of　Zn-O-P　and　H-bond　during　phosphate　adsorption　process　by　ZIF8@CNT　hybrids.　Such　interactions　are　suppressed　in　presence　of　EfOM　by　weakening　the　above-stated　binding　energy　at　different　adsorption　sites　according　to　first-principles　simulation,　resulting　in　declined　phosphate　adsorption　capacity.　In　this　regard,　the　less　sensitivity　to　co-existing　EfOM　of　ZIF8@CNT-2　may　be　due　to　the　increased　P-O,　Zn-OP　and　P-OH　and　the　strengthened　tolerance　of　nanostructure.　These　results　suggest　the　promising　enhanced　phosphate　removal　in　presence　of　EfOM　could　be　obtained　by　specifically　designing　adsorbent　structure.　(C)　2020　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.