In this study, three different magnetic core-shell Fe3O4@LDHs composites, Fe3O4@Zn-Al-, Fe3O4@Mg-Al-, and Fe3O4@Ni-Al-LDH were prepared via a rapid coprecipitation method for phosphate adsorptive removal. The composites were characterized by XRD, FTIR, TEM, VSM and BET analyses. Characterization results proved the successful synthesis of core-shell Fe3O4@LDHs composites with good superparamagnetisms. Batch experiments were conducted to study the adsorption efficiency of phosphate. Optimal conditions for the phosphate adsorption were obtained: 0.05 g of adsorbent, solution pH of 3, and contact time of 60 min. Proposed mechanisms for the removal of phosphate species onto Fe3O4@LDHs composites at different initial solution pH were showed. The kinetic data were described better by the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation and KASRA model. The adsorption isotherm curves showed a three-region behavior in the ARIAN model. It had a good fit with Langmuir model and the maximum adsorption capacity followed the order of Fe3O4@Zn-Al-LDH > Fe3O4@Mg-Al-LDH > Fe3O4@Ni-Al-LDH. Thermodynamic analyses indicated that the phosphate adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous in nature. The three Fe3O4@LDHs composites could be easily separated from aqueous solution by the external magnetic field in 10 s. These novel magnetic core-shell Fe3O4@LDHs adsorbents may offer a simple single step adsorption treatment option to remove phosphate from water without the requirement of pre-/post-treatment for current industrial practice. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.