Tetracycline (TC) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic but poses a significant threat to ecosystems. In this study, a series of alginate-based (ALG) hydrogel beads were synthesized with the incorporation of halloysite (Hal), a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), and a Hal-deposited polymer (Hal@MIP). The adsorption properties of these materials were evaluated and compared with those of their chitosan-based (CS) counterparts. The findings demonstrate a significant improvement in TC removal, highlighting the potential of the alginate-based hydrogels as superior adsorbents than chitosan-based ones. The maximum TC adsorption capacity reached 281 mg g