Abstract:
Water is an essential and irreplaceable necessity for life on earth, sustaining ecosystems, nourishing agriculture and
vital for human survival. However, increasing population and industrialization has exacerbated water scarcity and pollution. The Sustainable Development Goal 6 focuses on clean water and sanitation for all; thus, water purifcation and
conservation are key priorities globally. Rampant pollution of water sources by emerging bio-recalcitrant contaminants,
often deviant of conventional treatment methods, necessitates new approaches to water treatment. In this regard, metal
organic frameworks (MOFs) are gaining prominence and ofer solutions in versatile applications due to their unique
structural characteristics and tunable properties. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of MOFs, covering their
diverse structures, types, synthesis methods and characterization techniques. We explore the application of MOFs in
water purifcation, as adsorbents, photocatalysts, and in membrane separation. The mechanism of operation of MOFs
in each application is critically evaluated. The efect of the water treatment methods on energy consumption has also
been investigated. We propose that for MOFs application in water treatment to be competitive and sustainable, there is
need to address key issues such as synthesis of highly selective MOFs, recovery and reuse, scalability (pilot and industrial
scale), and integ
