Application of metal organic frameworks for adsorptive removal of residual pharmaceuticals from wastewater: A review

Pharmaceuticals are persistent emerging contaminants in aquatic environments owing to their incomplete removal by conventional wastewater treatment processes. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising adsorbents for pharmaceutical removal because of their exceptionally high surface area, tunable pore structures, and versatile surface chemistry. This review critically examines recent advances in MOF-based adsorbents for pharmaceutical-contaminated wastewater, focusing on synthesis strategies, structure–property relationships, adsorption mechanisms, and treatment performance. Various synthesis approaches are evaluated with respect to their influence on physicochemical properties, structural stability, and adsorption efficiency. The roles of key structural parameters and adsorption mechanisms governing pharmaceutical removal are systematically discussed. Particular attention is given to MOF-based composites, including a hydrothermally synthesized UiO-66/MWCNT composite developed by our research group, which exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 256.41 mg g −1 for diclofenac sodium under the reported experimental conditions. The review also provides a critical comparison of MOFs with conventional and emerging adsorbents in terms of adsorption performance, stability, regeneration, scalability, and cost, together with techno-economic considerations for large-scale implementation. Finally, the major scientific and engineering bottlenecks—including hydrolytic stability, regeneration, scalable green synthesis, and long-term performance under realistic wastewater conditions—are identified, and future research priorities are outlined to facilitate the development of sustainable, scalable, and application-ready MOF technologies for pharmaceutical removal.