Adsorptive removal of phosphate from water using mesoporous materials: A review

•Adsorptive properties of mesoporous materials for phosphate removal are reviewed.•Common preparative methods and the resultant surface properties are provided.•The adsorptive capacities of different systems are compared.•Factors affecting phosphate adsorption are discussed.

Mesoporous materials have significant potential for use as adsorbents for removal of phosphate from water. The chemical and structural properties of materials greatly affect their capacity and rate in the phosphate adsorption process. This paper reviews recent activities in the development of mesoporous materials as phosphate adsorbents. In particular, it mainly focuses on the synthesis, properties and phosphate removal efficiency of various materials with mesoporosity, including metal-coordinated amino-functionalized silicas, ammonium-functionalized silicas, metal-doped mesoporous silicas, metal oxides, metal sulfate and carbon.