Recent advances in luminescent metal-organic frameworks (L-MOFs) as sustainable materials for sensing of potentially toxic environmental ubiquitous explosive contaminants

Although, the explosive materials are crucial for homeland safety and defense systems, they impose severe side effects on the environment and human health. The residues or byproducts of these hazardous materials can contaminate the environment and implies acute chronic effects on humans as well as animals. Hence, the ultrasensitive, low cost and convenient detection of widely used explosive compounds is highly desirable considering environmental pollution and increasing human health issues. Owing to their numerous features, luminescent metal-organic frameworks (L-MOFs) have gained much attention during the past few decades in the field of sensing with focus on national security, environmental monitoring, and forensic science. In this review, we have systematically described the detection of six kinds of widely used hazardous explosive compounds (nitroaromatics, nitramines, nitroalkanes, nitrate esters, peroxides and acid salts) using luminescent MOFs as the primary sensing material. The origin of fluorescence in MOFs, factors affecting the fluorescence, synthetic methods as well as various sensing mechanisms involved during the detection are discussed. Besides, most of the MOF based fluorescent probes reported in past decade for the detection of various explosive chemicals through diverse coordination interactions are summarized in tabular forms. Finally, the existing challenges and future prospects in the relevant research area are also discussed. [Display omitted] •MOFs have emerged as a pioneering class of luminescent material in the field of sensing.•The fluorescent probes based on MOFs for the detection of six kinds of widely used explosive compounds are summarized.•The origin of luminescence in MOFs, synthetic method and various sensing mechanisms are also discussed.•The current challenges and future prospects in the respective research area are also discussed.