Background: Pharmaceutical contamination of water resources from industries and domestic discharges poses a major global challenge due to its harmful effects on ecosystems and human health. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), a newly developed class of versatile porous materials, show great potential for photocatalytic pharmaceuticals removal. This review explores the occurrence and ecotoxicological impacts of pharmaceutical and discusses recent advances in its photocatalytic removal using advanced MOF-based composites.
Methods: A comprehensive review of peer-reviewed literature published before March 2025 was conducted using renowned bibliographic databases, including Web of Science and Scopus. Electronic databases were thoroughly searched using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). The search included terms such as water, wastewater, water pollutants, ecotoxicology, pharmaceutical preparations, water purification, catalysis, photolysis, and metal–organic frameworks, along with their related synonyms.
Result: Recent research highlights the potential of MOF-based composites as highly effective catalysts for the photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutical contaminants. The efficacy of this process, however, hinges on several critical factors, including the amount of catalyst used, the initial concentration of
the pollutants, and the pH level of the medium. Fine-tuning these parameters is vital to optimizing performance and ensuring consistent, reliable results.
Conclusion: By efficiently decomposing pharmaceutical compounds when exposed to light, MOF-based composite materials play a crucial role in reducing their concentration within aquatic environments. MOFs serve as optimal platforms for developing a wide range of nanomaterials derived from their structures. In conclusion, their versatility and unique properties make them indispensable for advancing innovation across various scientific and technological domains.