Granular lanthanum alginate was prepared by dripping solved sodium alginate into lanthanum chloride solution. After washed and dried, sorbent with 1-1.5 mm diameter, 25% (mass fraction) La content was made and applied for fluoride removal from drinking test. Adsorption performance such as adsorption rate, adsorption isotherm, pH and disturbing ions effects were tested in batch adsorption. The changes of adsorbent surface and the solution composition before and after adsorption were also studied. Results showed that the adsorption rate was fast, fluoride concentration trend to stable after 2h reaction, and the adsorption rate fit for pseudo second order equation. The adsorption was significantly affected by pH and some disturbing ions, optimum pH = 4, phosphate and carbonate reduced adsorption. Adsorption isotherm fitted Langmuir equation well; the max adsorption capacity was 197.2 mg x g(-1). SEM photographs of sorbent before and after adsorption showed significantly different surface morphology; EDX composition analysis of sorbent surface and solution concentration changes before and after adsorption showed that ion exchange take placed between solution F- and sorbent surface Cl- and OH-.