Synthesis, characterization, and activation of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) for the removal of emerging organic contaminants through the adsorption-oriented process: A review

Water is one of the most defining characteristics of our mother planet and also the human body, hence, it is essential to all aspects of life. On a sad note, the increasing anthropogenic activities towards the discharge of novel and known pollutants into these existing water bodies is a serious challenge. Emerging organic contaminants include newly synthesized compounds and also compounds just discovered as contaminants such as dyes and dyestuffs, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, phenols, industrial additives, microbeads, and microplastics. There is an inextricable link between these pollutants and wastewater. They are of great concern in modern science as they destroy the ecosystem at large, dangerous to human health and plants, due to their toxicities. In light of these, several remediation techniques have been embarked upon, out of which degradation by adsorption has been identified as the most promising because of their ease of operation and cost efficiency. This present study is intended to shed more light on the preparation, characterization, and activation of metal organic frameworks for the removal of these emerging organic contaminants from our water bodies through adsorption.