Recent Advancements in Metal-Organic Framework-Based Photocatalysts for Environmental Remediation

The rapid progression of industrialization has generated substantial environmental deterioration, posing significant threats to public health. Developing efficient and cost-effective strategies to combat environmental pollution is of paramount importance. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently emerged as a versatile photocatalytic platform, distinguished by their structurally tunable porosity, exceptional light-harvesting capacity, and superior charge separation efficiency. In particular, the intrinsically crystalline 3D structures of MOFs, characterized by highly ordered coordination networks and well-defined pore architectures, provide stable channels for molecular transport and endow the spatial organization of catalytically active sites. This review systematically summarizes the fundamental mechanisms and recent progress in MOF-based photocatalysis for environmental remediation, focusing on the degradation of organic pollutants, decomposition of antibiotics, and reduction of toxic heavy metal ions. Finally, current challenges and prospects in the field are critically discussed, providing a perspective for the rational design of high-performance MOF photocatalysts.