Metal organic frameworks as nanomaterials for analysis of toxic metals in food and environmental applications

It is important to develop new materials for analytical sample preparation for the separation, detection and preconcentration of toxic metals from food, and environmental materials. Metal organic frameworks are a class of crystalline materials used in the analysis of toxic metals in recent years, with their porosity, enormous internal surface areas, adsorption capacities, functionalization properties, and stability. MOFs are promising adsorbents for the fast and efficient extraction of heavy metal ions from complex samples in food safety and environmental pollution management. This review describes recent developments in the use of MOFs in the analysis of toxic metals in food and environmental samples. Thus, it will lead to the planning of new studies for the use of MOFs in different matrices. [Display omitted] •Applications of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) in the extraction of toxic metals from food and environmental matrices.•Effects and importance of different metal ion sources, ligands, and functionalization used in MOFs synthesis.•Comparison of adsorption capacities and pre-concentration factors of MOFs.•Classification of preferred MOFs by food and environmental matrices.•Spectrometric methods used in MOF studies for the analysis of toxic metals.