Hierarchically porous Cu-MOF fiber membrane enables instantaneous and continuous removal of organophosphorus pesticides in water

Organophosphorus pesticides, commonly used in agricultural practices, remain as residues in food and the environment, presenting a significant risk to human health. The removal of these pesticides is essential to protect both human health and the environment. This study presents an in-situ synthesis technique that combines Cu-MOF (ZZU-282) with electrospinning technology to create a novel cross-linked MOF fiber membrane (cross-linked Cu-MOF-PAN FM, with PAN representing Polyacrylonitrile). The coexistence of micro/meso/macropores within the cross-linked Cu-MOF-PAN FM reduces mass transfer resistance and improves its pesticide removal capacity. The half-life for chlorpyrifos removal by the cross-linked Cu-MOF-PAN FM is about 18 s. The Langmuir model estimates the theoretical maximum removal capacity for chlorpyrifos at 208.3 mg g –1 . Additionally, the removal performance of organophosphorus pesticides is tested in simulated water samples, with results showing that over 70 % of six mixed organophosphorus pesticides are removed within 10 min using the proposed FM. The cross-linked Cu-MOF-PAN FM demonstrates superior efficiency in both rapid and sustained removal of organophosphorus pesticides from water, offering promising potential for environmental applications and pollutant removal. Moreover, the cross-linking process enhances the membrane’s resistance to organic solvents. This in-situ growth and cross-linking method offers a promising approach for fabricating MOF fiber membrane composites.