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Metal-Organic Frameworks as robust adsorbents for Microplastic Removal – A review of Synthesis Strategies, Mechanistic insights and Computational studies
Original title: Metal-Organic Frameworks as robust adsorbents for Microplastic Removal – A review of Synthesis Strategies, Mechanistic insights and Computational studies
Summary
Millions of tons of plastic waste end up in our oceans and water supply every year, breaking down into tiny microplastic particles that can carry toxic chemicals into our bodies and disrupt biological processes. This review paper rounds up recent research on a promising cleanup tool called Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) — sponge-like materials with tiny pores that act like magnets, trapping and removing over 97% of microplastics from water in lab tests, even after being reused multiple times. While these materials aren't yet in widespread use, they represent a hopeful next step toward cleaner water and reduced microplastic
The alarming widespread prevalence of synthetic organic polymers, popularly known as plastics, with 4.8-12.7 million tons entering the oceans annually and over 150 million tons already accumulated, poses detrimental consequences on marine life and human health, as microplastics can transfer toxic contaminants and disrupt biological processes, creating an urgent demand for efficient remediation strategies. Conventional microplastic removal methods: physical, chemical, and biological though are limited in efficiency, selectivity, and sustainability . Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are being emphasized as new and innovative materials for microplastics remediation because their high porosity, adaptable structures, exceptional adsorption capacities, and adjustable pore sizes and shapes have piqued interest in their use as adsorbents in wastewater treatment applications. MOF-based adsorbents demonstrated significant performance for the removal of microplastics; for example, Ni-MOF-doped superhydrophobic sponge eliminated PS, PP, and PE with up to 98.4% efficiency, maintaining 65.5% capacity after 15 reuse cycles. Similarly, UiO-66-EDTMP removed 97.45% of PS, maintaining 89% reusability after 10 cycles. Adsorption capacities up to300 mg/g for PS are reported, governed by pi-pi interactions, electrostatic attraction, and hydrogen bonding. Computational tools such as DFT, MD, and ML further enable the rational designing of MOFs for the targeted microplastic removal. This review looks into different MOF synthesis strategies and adsorption mechanisms, including the factors affecting the removal of microplastics, and also consolidates the isotherm, kinetics, and thermodynamic models of adsorption. Moreover, this review discusses the recyclability of MOFs and also highlights the computational modelling, positioning MOFs as next-generation sustainable adsorbents for the selective and efficient microplastic contamination.