Designing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for advanced per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) management:...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of highly stable and persistent organic pollutants, widely distributed in the environment, which pose significant threats to ecosystems and human health. Conventional treatment methods struggle to effectively address PFAS contamination. Consequently, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as emerging multifunctional materials, have become a potential solution for tackling PFAS pollution due to their high specific surface area, tunable pore structures, and excellent adsorption, sensing, and catalytic properties. This review, from the perspective of MOFs customized design, systematically summarizes the latest advances in applications and emerging trends of MOFs in PFAS management. Firstly, we introduce the classification of MOFs and MOFs-based materials, along with the advantages and disadvantages of different synthesis methods. Subsequently, we systematically outline the mechanisms and performance benefits of MOFs functioning as adsorbents, sensing substrates, and catalysts. Then, the principles behind their enhanced PFAS adsorption capacity and their superior applications are elaborated in detail from the perspectives of MOFs structure and functional design. Furthermore, the technical challenges faced by MOFs in PFAS detection and degradation, as well as the underlying mechanisms of action, are analyzed. Based on this, the current status and synergistic effects of this field have been systematically reviewed from four aspects, including the enhancing detection and degradation through MOFs-based adsorption, as well as their use as multifunctional detection substrates and high-efficient catalyst. Finally, the design strategies of MOFs for various applications are summarized, and future perspectives and innovative directions are proposed to address the challenges of MOFs in PFAS remediation.