Toward Scalability: Fe-MOF-Based Ultrafiltration Membrane for Effective Microplastics Removal from Drinking Water at Point-of-Use
Abstract
The frequent detection of microplastics (MPs) in bottled drinking water underscores the need for effective point-of-use (POU) purification strategies to limit human exposure, particularly given their ability to transport co-contaminants. While metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been extensively investigated for MP removal, their application in practical POU drinking water purification remains largely underexplored, especially regarding scalability and delivery of potable water after filtration. In this work, NH2-MIL-101(Fe) MOF is integrated onto a commercial polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration (UF) membrane to develop a Fe-MOF@UF composite for enhanced removal of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-MP from drinking water. The optimally synthesized Fe-MOF@UF membrane achieved a PET-MP rejection efficacy of ∼94%. Additionally, its practical applicability is validated using commercially available PET-bottled drinking water, confirming the effective removal of MPs while delivering potable water compliant with international drinking water quality standards. Collectively, these outcomes emphasize the first practical viability of MOF-membrane hybrids for POU drinking water treatment. Despite limitations, this research lays a strong groundwork for future efforts toward performance optimization and highlights a viable pathway for scalable, cost-effective, and sustainable MOF-incorporated household MP filtration units.
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