CuO-ZnO-La2O3/activated carbon (AC) adsorbent was used for phosphine (PH3) adsorption removal. The effects of O-2 content, PH3 concentration, and adsorption temperature on the PH3 adsorption were investigated. The adsorbents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetric (DSC/TGA), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that PH3 adsorption capacity is enhanced significantly by increasing oxygen content or adsorption temperature. Two bands that appear at 1161.1 and 1008.5 cm(-1) in the FTIR spectrum of the exhausted adsorbent are ascribed to H3PO4. An exothermic peak in the DSC curve of exhausted adsorbent is ascribed to desorption of H3PO4 and condensation reactions of H3PO4 adsorbed species. It is observed that both P4O10 (65.09%) and H3PO4 (34.91%) exist over the exhausted adsorbent. The CuO-ZnO-La2O3/AC adsorbs PH3 and PH3 adsorbed is oxidized to form H3PO4 and P4O10. It naturally follows that the CuO-ZnO-La2O3/AC will be a potential adsorbent for PH3 removal from yellow phosphorus tail gas.