Versatility, Cost Analysis, and Scale-up in Fluoride and Arsenic Removal Using Metal-organic Framework-based Adsorbents

The high pKa-guided defect engineering: improving fluoride removal in actual scenarios by benzimidazole modulated metal-organic frameworks

We firstly present a novel strategy for enhancing fluoride removal from contaminated water using defect-engineered UiO-66 (Zr-MOFs), emphasizing the crucial role of pKa in modulator selection. By utilizing modulators with varying pKa values-specifically benzimidazole (BI), benzoic acid (BA), and acetic acid (AA)-we synthesized defect-rich Act-UiO-66-M(X). The higher pKa of BI facilitated greater defect formation, resulting in significantly improved adsorption capacity and faster diffusion rates. Act-UiO-66-BI(8), modulated with BI, showed a higher intensity peak at g = 2.003 in ESR analysis, indicating more oxygen vacancies. Its fluoride adsorption capacity reached 93.59 mg F/g, nearly six times higher than commercial ZrO2, with rapid kinetics-evidenced by a kinetic rate constant (kint) of 2.64 mg/g·min0.5 and equilibrium achieved within 10 min. The kinetic performance was enhanced by 270% compared to raw Act-UiO-66. Furthermore, Act-UiO-66-BI(8) demonstrated high selectivity and stability in high-salinity environments, with a Kd coefficient consistently exceeding 17,900 mL/g. The study highlights that selecting modulators based on pKa enhances defect formation, improving active site exposure and pore diffusion, as confirmed by DFT calculations and XPS analysis. The ability of Act-UiO-66-BI(8) to treat up to 1160 kg of wastewater per kg of adsorbent highlights its potential for large-scale water purification, showcasing a promising approach for developing high-performance MOF materials.

Facile construction of zirconium/iron bimetallic organic frameworks for fluoride efficient removal from aqueous phase: An integrated experimental and theoretical investigation

This work presents the synthesis of Zr/Fe bimetallic organic frameworks (Zr/Fe-UiO-66) with varying compositions via a straightforward solvothermal method, targeting fluoride ions (F-) removal from the aqueous phase. Adsorption experiments elucidated the effect of factors (i.e., adsorbent dosage, initial concentration (C0), temperature, contact time and pH) on fluoride adsorption, and the parameters were optimized. The results show that the Zr/Fe-UiO-66(C) achieved the maximal uptake capacity of 164.4 mg/g, with the conditions of pH = 5.0, T = 298 K, C0 = 190 mg/L. The adsorption behavior of fluoride on Zr/Fe-UiO-66 can be well followed with the pseudo-second-order (PSO) kinetic model and the Sips isotherm model, described as the spontaneous, chemical driven and endothermic process. The adsorption mechanism was comprehensively explained by characterizations and microscopic simulations, such as molecular dynamics methods (MD) and independent gradient model analysis (IGM), which involves the chemical bonding, hydrogen-bond interaction and electrostatic interactions. Furthermore, Zr/Fe-UiO-66(C) exhibited excellent fluoride ion selectivity and superior stability. After 5 cycles of adsorption, Zr/Fe-UiO-66(C) maintained the removal efficiency of 83.4 % for F-. This research provides significant insights into the development of bimetallic metal-organic framework materials and fluoride removal research.

Insights of using microbial material in fluoride removal from wastewater: A review

Fluoride is an essential trace element for the human body, but excessive fluoride can cause serious environmental and health problems. Therefore, developing efficient fluoride removal technologies is crucial. This review summarizes the progress made in using microbial materials to remove fluoride from wastewater, covering strategies that involve pure cultures of bacteria, fungi, and algae, as well as modified microbial materials and bioreactors. Live microorganisms exhibit high efficiency in adsorbing low concentrations of fluoride, while modified microbial materials are more suitable for treating high concentrations of fluoride. The review discusses the adsorption mechanisms and influencing factors of these technologies, and evaluates their practical application potential through techno-economic analysis. Finally, future research directions are proposed, including the optimization of modification technologies and the selection of effective microbial species, providing theoretical guidance and a basis for future microbial defluoridation technologies.

Bioremediation of organic pollutants by laccase-metal-organic framework composites: A review of current knowledge and future perspective

Immobilized laccases are widely used as green biocatalysts for bioremediation of phenolic pollutants and wastewater treatment. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) show potential application for immobilization of laccase. Their unique adsorption properties provide a synergic effect of adsorption and biodegradation. This review focuses on bioremediation of wastewater pollutants using laccase-MOF composites, and summarizes the current knowledge and future perspective of their biodegradation and the enhancement strategies of enzyme immobilization. Mechanistic strategies of preparation of laccase-MOF composites were mainly investigated via physical adsorption, chemical binding, and de novo/co-precipitation approaches. The influence of architecture of MOFs on the efficiency of immobilization and bioremediation were discussed. Moreover, as sustainable technology, the integration of laccases and MOFs into wastewater treatment processes represents a promising approach to address the challenges posed by industrial pollution. The MOF-laccase composites can be promising and reliable alternative to conventional techniques for the treatment of wastewaters containing pharmaceuticals, dyes, and phenolic compounds. The detailed exploration of various immobilization techniques and the influence of MOF architecture on performance provides valuable insights for optimizing these composites, paving the way for future advancements in environmental biotechnology. The findings of this research have the potential to influence industrial wastewater treatment and promoting cleaner treatment processes and contributing to sustainability efforts.

Ultrasmall copper-metal organic framework (Cu-MOF) quantum dots decorated on waste derived biochar for enhanced removal of emerging contaminants: Synergistic effect and mechanistic insight

This study proposes a novel one-pot hydrothermal impregnation strategy for surface decoration of waste derived pisum sativum biochar with zero‒dimensional Cu‒MOF Quantum dots (PBC‒HK), with an average particle size of 5.67 nm, for synergistic removal of an emerging sulfur containing drug pantoprazole (PTZ) and Basic Blue 26 (VB) dye within 80 min and 50 min of visible-light exposure, respectively. The designed Integrated Photocatalytic Adsorbent (IPA) presented an enhanced PTZ removal efficiency of 95.23% with a catalyst loading of 0.24 g/L and initial PTZ conc. 30 mg/L at pH 7, within 80 min via synergistic adsorption and photodegradation under visible-light exposure. While, on the other hand, 96.31% VB removal efficiency was obtained in 50 min with a catalyst dosage of 0.20 g/L, initial VB conc. 60 mg/L at pH 7 under similar irradiation conditions. An in-depth analysis of the synergistic adsorption and photocatalysis mechanism resulting in the shortened time for the removal of contaminants in the synergistic integrated model has been performed by outlining the various advantageous attributes of this strategy. The first-order degradation rate constant for PTZ was found to be 0.04846 min-1 and 0.04370 min-1 for PTZ and VB, respectively. Adsorption of contaminant molecules on the biochar (PS‒BC) surface can facilitate photodegradation by accelerating the kinetics, and photodegradation promotes regeneration of adsorption sites, contributing to an overall reduction in operation time for removal of contaminants. Besides enhancing the adsorption of targeted pollutants, the carbon matrix of IPAs serves as a surface for adsorption of intermediates of degradation, thereby minimizing the risk of secondary pollution. The photogenerated holes present in the VB is responsible for the generation of •OH radicals. While, the photogenerated electrons present in the CB are captured by Cu2+ of the MOF metal center, reducing it to Cu+, which is subsequently oxidized to produce additional •OH species in the aqueous medium. This process leads to effective charge separation of the photogenerated charge carriers and minimizes the probability of charge recombination as evident from photoluminescence (PL) analysis. Meanwhile, PL studies, EPR and radical trapping experiments indicate the predominant role of •OH radicals in the removal mechanism of PTZ and VB. The investigation of the degradation reaction intermediates was confirmed by HR‒LCMS, on the basis of which the plausible degradation pathway was elucidated in detail. Moreover, effects of pH, inorganic salts, other organic compounds and humic acid concentration have been investigated in detail. The environmental impact of the proposed method was comprehensively evaluated by ICP-OES analysis and TOC and COD removal studies. Furthermore, the economic feasibility and the cost-effectiveness of the catalyst was assessed to address the potential for large scale commercialization. Notably, this research not only demonstrates a rational design strategy for the utilization of solid waste into treasure via the fabrication of IPAs based on MOF Quantum dots (QDs) and waste-derived biochar, but also provides a practical solution for real wastewater treatment systems for broader industrial applications.

Non-derivatizing solvent assisted waste-derived cellulose/ MOF composite porous matrix for efficient metal ion removal: comprehensive analysis of batch and continuous packed-bed column sorption studies

The use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for wastewater treatment in continuous operation is a major challenge. To address this, the present study demonstrates the eco-friendly and economic synthesis of Ca-MOF immobilized cellulose beads (Ca-MOF-CB) derived from paper waste. The synthesized Ca-MOF-CB were characterized using standard analytical techniques. Batch sorption studies were performed to check the effect of cellulose composition (wt%), Ca-MOF loading, contact time, and initial metal ion (Pb2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+) concentration. Ca-MOF-CB beads exhibited outstanding equilibrium sorption capacities for Pb2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+, with estimated values of 281.22 ± 7.8, 104.01 ± 10.58, and 114.21 ± 9.68 mg g-1, respectively. Different non-linear isotherms and kinetic models were applied which confirmed the spontaneous, endothermic reactions for the physisorption of Pb2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+. Based on the highest equilibrium sorption capacity for Pb2+ ion, in-depth parametric column studies were conducted in an indigenously developed packed-bed column set-up. The effect of packed-bed height (10 and 20 cm), inlet flow rate (5 and 10 mL min-1), and inlet Pb2+ ion concentration (200, 300, and 500 mg L-1) were studied. The breakthrough curves obtained at different operating conditions were fitted with the empirical models viz. the bed depth service time (BDST), Yoon-Nelson, Thomas, and Yan to estimate the column design parameters. In order to determine the financial implications at large-scale industrial operations, an affordable synthesis cost of 1 kg of Ca-MOF-CB was estimated. Conclusively, the present study showed the feasibility of the developed Ca-MOF-CB for the continuous removal of metal ions at an industrial scale.