Cotton fabric decorated by a Zr4+ MOF for selective As(V) and Se(IV) removal from aqueous media

In this work we describe a new method for the fabrication of a bulk sorbent material composed of the metal-organic framework (MOF) [Zr 6 O 4 (OH) 4 (NH 2 BDC) 6 ]·xH 2 O (MOR-1) supported on cotton textiles and demonstrate its ability to remove toxic oxyanions from the aquatic environment. The new sorbent shows exceptional capability for both individual and competitive sorption of As(V) and Se(IV) oxyanionic species from aqueous media, due to the strong binding of these species to the Zr 4+ metal ions, the high permeability and large contact surface area of the fabric. The sorption capacities of MOR-1@cotton fabric for As(V) (459 mg g −1 ) and Se(IV) (325 mg g −1 ) largely exceed those of previous reported sorbents. In addition, MOR-1@cotton fabric showed excellent sorption efficiency in a wide pH range (3−7) as well as high selectivity for As(V) and Se(IV) against several competitive anionic species. Finally, the fabric sorbent was examined for its efficiency in the removal of As(V) and Se(IV) from genuine water samples (lake, river and well water) under realistic conditions with very satisfactory results. These data, along with the fact that the bulk MOR-1@cotton fabric can be easily retrieved from water after use (in contrast to sorbents being in powder form), pledges on the potential use of the material for real water treatment applications. • Immobilization of a MOF (MOR-1) on cotton fabric via aqueous-phase synthesis. • Demonstration of Se(IV) sorption by a fabric sorbent. • Simultaneous As(V) and Se(IV) sorption by MOR-1@cotton fabric. • Highest As(V) sorption capacity of MOR-1@cotton fabric among fabric sorbents. • Evaluation of MOR-1@cotton fabric sorbent under real-world conditions.