Lanthanum(III) − 2,5 − Pyrazinedicarboxylate framework as an antibacterial adsorbent for highly efficient and selective capture of Pb(II) and Cd(II) from wastewater

[Display omitted] •La-PzDC was designed for heavy metals removal and antibacterial applications.•La-PzDC showed high adsorption: 697.72 mg g−1 for Pb(II) and 398.26 mg g−1 for Cd(II).•La-PzDC fully adsorbed Pb(II) in just 10 min, and its antibacterial efficiency was close to 99%.•La-PzDC exhibited excellent selectivity for Pb(II) and Cd(II).•The coordination mechanism of Pb(II) and Cd(II) was revealed by DFT calculation. Removing heavy metal ions and microorganisms from wastewater remains a persistent challenge in wastewater treatment. The development of a novel metal–organic framework (MOF), synthesized from 2,5-pyrazine-dicarboxylic acid and lanthanide (La(III), Ce(III), Pr(III)), targeting the concurrent remediation of heavy metal and bacterial pollutants in wastewater. La-PzDC demonstrated remarkable efficacy in removing Pb(II) and Cd(II), achieving maximum adsorption capacities of 697.72 mg g−1 and 398.26 mg g−1, respectively. La-PzDC achieved rapid adsorption equilibria—within 10 min for Pb(II) and 20 min for Cd(II), and conformed to the pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm models. La-PzDC captured Pb(II) and Cd(II) from actual wastewater, and its residual levels met the relevant wastewater discharge standards. La-PzDC also exhibited excellent reusability and selectivity for Pb(II) and Cd(II). The adsorption mechanism through spectroscopic analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, pinpointing coordination with oxygen and nitrogen-containing groups as a key factor. Significantly, La-PzDC achieves nearly 99 % bacterial elimination against E. coli and S. aureus. The above results indicated that La-PzDC has high selectivity, rapid removal capacity and excellent antibacterial activity, offering a new strategy for the dual challenge of heavy metal and bacterial contamination in wastewater treatment.