Water-stable metal–organic framework (UiO-66) supported on zirconia nanofibers membrane for the dynamic removal of tetracycline and arsenic from water

Water-soluble pollutants including pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and inorganic arsenic have posed challenges to water and the environment. In this work, the water-stable metal–organic framework UiO-66 was loaded on electrospinning zirconia nanofibers membrane via the in-situ solvothermal method. This novel composite membrane had increased surface area, good adsorption performance, and could dynamically remove contaminants from polluted water. Adsorption performance of the composite membrane for tetracycline (TC) and As(III) were investigated using batch experiments. The maximum adsorption capacities were 59.27 mg/g for TC and 143.95 mg/g for As(III). The membrane’s dynamic removal efficiency for TC and As(III) could reach over 90% and 80%, respectively, at a relatively high flux of 60 L/(m2·h), and could be generated and reused. pH values had strong impacts on the electrostatic interaction force, thus influenced the absorption efficiency. The adsorption mechanisms were studied by experimental characterizations and DFT calculations, and the results showed that direct interaction, hydrogen bond and ligand exchange were the main driving forces, and ZrO bond played a significant role in this process. Based on the self-supporting structure and good adsorption performance, we believe this novel composite membrane could find notable applications in wastewater decontamination.