A nickel-aluminium-zirconium complex-layered hydroxide (NAZ), which was synthesized using each inorganic sulfate mixing ratio of 0.9 : 1.0 : 0.1, was prepared and calcined at different temperatures. The physicochemical properties of the NAZ were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, specific surface area, number of hydroxyl groups, and pore volume. The specific surface area, number of hydroxyl groups, and pore volume of NAZ was 51.9 m²/g, 1.08 mmol/g, and 0.27 μL/g, respectively. The amount of phosphate ion adsorbed onto NAZ was higher than that onto calcined NAZ at different temperatures. Therefore, the interaction between phosphate ions and NAZ was assessed using the elemental distribution analysis and the binding energy. After adsorption, the intensity of phosphorus atoms increased, indicating that the phosphate ions were adsorbed onto the NAZ surface. Additionally, phosphorus peaks (189 eV for 2s and 130 eV for 2p), which were not detected before adsorption, were clearly detected after adsorption. On the other hand, the intensity of the sulfur peak (165 eV for 2p) decreased after adsorption. Thus, we evaluated the ion exchange between phosphate ion and sulfate ion in the interlayer space of the NAZ. As a result, the correlation coefficient between the amount of phosphate ion adsorbed and the amount of sulfate ion released was positively correlated (r=0.960). Therefore, it can be clearly stated that one of the adsorption mechanisms of phosphate ions was related to ion exchange in the interlayer space of the NAZ. These findings are useful for preventing the eutrophication and recovery of phosphate ion in water environments.