Abstract Various human activities have led to multiple contamination of natural water systems. The present study investigated the effect a novel multifunctional biochar treat nutrients, oil, and harmful algae in water. Specifically, magnesium (Mg) biosurfactant rhamnolipid (RL) were incorporated into biochar, including Mg-biochar, RL-biochar, Mg-RL-biochar. Their adsorption efficiency on phosph...