Layered double hydroxides of Mg and Al (Mg-Al LDH) were synthesized with OH-, Cl-, or CO32- as charge compensating anions. The materials were calcined at 500 degrees C in air. The bromate uptakes of calcined and uncalcined LDH materials were investigated from 0.78 mu mol/dm(3) bromate solution. Results show that uncalcined LDH exhibited no bromate uptake, although calcined LDH exhibited bromate uptake: the initial bromate concentration of 0.78 mu mol/dm(3) decreased to less than 0.078 mu mol/dm(3), the maximum contaminant level established for bromate in drinking water. The rate of bromate uptake of calcined LDH was slow to attain equilibrium in 48 h. The bromate uptake data of calcined LDH agreed well with the Freundlich model.