Organic framework based on photocatalytic pesticides degradation

The extensive use of pesticides in modern agriculture has resulted in their persistent presence in soil and aquatic environments, where they act as toxic organic pollutants and contaminants of emerging concern. A large fraction of these chemicals fails to reach their targets, leading to environmental accumulation, ecological imbalance, and serious human health effects such as endocrine disruption, oxidative stress, and increased cancer risk. Conventional remediation methods, including biodegradation, chemical oxidation, and adsorption, often suffer from limited efficiency, incomplete mineralization, or secondary pollution. Photocatalysis has therefore emerged as an effective approach for the degradation of pesticide residues into harmless by-products such as carbon dioxide and water under light irradiation. Among advanced photocatalytic materials, metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have gained considerable attention due to their crystalline porous structures, exceptionally high surface areas, tunable pore environments, and adjustable electronic properties. These characteristics facilitate efficient pesticide adsorption, enhanced light absorption, and improved separation of photogenerated charge carriers. This article presents an unstructured overview of pesticide toxicity, degradation pathways, and the role of photocatalysis in environmental remediation, with a particular focus on MOFs and MOF-based composites. Key factors influencing photocatalytic performance, including bandgap energy, surface functionality, adsorption capacity, degradation kinetics, removal efficiency, and recyclability, are explained. The findings highlight the potential of MOF-based photocatalysts as sustainable and efficient materials for pesticide degradation and water purification applications.