Photocatalytic Degradation of Dyes in Wastewater Using Metal Organic Frameworks

The current major global crisis is in the sector of water, energy and food security. Due to the growth in civilisation, industrialisation and environmental fluctuations water scarcity and freshwater availability poses major concern to the world, especially to the developing countries. Nearly, one-third of drinkable water is obtained from surface sources such as rivers, dams, lakes, and canals, and some of this water is exposed to contamination. Therefore, appropriate treatment methodologies must be implemented in order to mitigate and prevent water contamination. Photocatalysis is an approach to curb the challenge of water contamination by introducing the use various materials for the degradation of pollutants from wastewater. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and their composites as materials of interests have gained popularity in addressing water pollution in photocatalysis applications by acting as absorbents of light, prominent to improve performance of photocatalytic activity. This chapter focuses on the synthesis and characterization of MOFs and their composite materials as efficient photocatalysts for degradation of dyes from wastewater.