Sequestration of Metal Oxoanions by Covalent Organic Frameworks

Metal oxoanions, predominantly toxic and environmentally persistent, present significant challenges for removal in natural environments due to their unique ionic structures and charge characteristics. While substantial efforts have been directed toward sequestering these anions, conventional adsorbents often exhibit inadequate selectivity and chemical instability. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), distinguished by their robust stability and structural tunability, have emerged as promising candidates for metal oxoanion remediation. This review highlights recent advances in the use of COFs and similar materials for the sequestration of metal oxoanions, emphasizing strategies to enhance adsorption performance and selectivity through structural design and post-synthetic modifications. Additionally, current challenges and future directions for improving the efficiency of COFs in metal oxoanion sequestration are summarized.