Effective Removal of Tetracycline from Water Using Stable MOF-808: A Comprehensive Investigation on Activation, Stability, and Influencing Parameters

Tetracycline (TC) is a widely utilized antibiotic that raises significant environmental concerns. Therefore, the implementation of effective removal strategies is imperative to mitigate its environmental impacts. This study investigates the adsorption of TC from aqueous solutions using MOF-808, synthesized via a solvothermal method. Two activation techniques, Soxhlet extraction and centrifugation, were applied to optimize the properties of the synthesized MOF-808, resulting in materials designated as S-MOF-808 and C-MOF-808, respectively. Comparative studies have demonstrated that S-MOF-808 shows superior adsorption due to its higher Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area of 1062 m² g^–1, compared to 622 m² g^–1 for C-MOF-808. The experimental adsorption results for both MOF-808s followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models. The maximum adsorption capacities for TC were determined to be approximately 333.33 mg g^–1 for S-MOF-808 and 312.50 mg g^–1 for C-MOF-808, underscoring the optimal performance of S-MOF-808 in adsorption applications. Moreover, chemical stability was assessed over two months, with X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showing that S-MOF-808 maintained superior structural integrity compared to C-MOF-808. These findings highlight the potential of S-MOF-808 as a robust and efficient adsorbent for removing TC from complex aqueous environments, featuring its suitability for environmental remediation applications.