An overview of metal-organic frameworks and their magnetic composites for the removal of pollutants

This paper presents the progress of MOFs and magnetic MOFs for adsorption and separation of pollutants. [Display omitted] •This article presents the classification and the preparation methods of MOFs and magnetic MOFs.•This article reviews the research progress of them in the field of adsorption and separation of pollutants in recent years.•This article discusses the effect of parameters on their adsorption performances.•This article discusses the future challenges and prospects of them for adsorption and separation of pollutants. As a result of serious pollution in the water environment, sewage disposal has been receiving a lot of attention from the water industry. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) attract a lot of interest in the adsorption and separation due to their complex structures and easily adjustable pore sizes. Magnetic MOFs inheriting the advantages of both large surface area and easy recovery have great potentials in the adsorption and separation of pollutants. This paper reviews the recent research progress on the adsorption and separation of ions, dyes and other contaminants by different types of MOFs (magnetic MOFs and non-magnetic MOFs) and their magnetic composites (Fe3O4@MOF) in aqueous environments. The factors affecting the adsorption of pollutants, and the thermodynamic and kinetic effects of adsorption are discussed with detailed examples. Finally, the challenges and opportunities for further development of magnetic MOFs are discussed and elucidated.