Upcycling waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) Bottles into high-performance aluminum based metal organic frameworks (MOFs) for sustainable antibiotic removal from water
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The accumulation of plastic waste and the persistence of pharmaceutical contaminants in water represent two converging environmental crises of the 21st century. Here, we report a sustainable strategy that addresses both challenges simultaneously by upcycling post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into an Aluminum based metal organic framework (Al-DST) for efficient antibiotic removal. Disodium terephthalate (DST), derived directly from PET hydrolysis, served as a green linker precursor for the one step aqueous synthesis of Al-DST under ambient conditions, eliminating toxic solvents and high-temperature processing. Comprehensive physicochemical characterization confirmed a highly crystalline and thermally stable framework incorporating PET derived terephthalate linkers. The resulting MOF exhibited a remarkable tetracycline adsorption capacity of 355.9 mg g⁻¹, reaching equilibrium within 120 min, with adsorption governed by pseudo-second-order kinetics. Isotherm and thermodynamic analyses revealed monolayer, spontaneous, and exothermic uptake, driven by multisite coordination-like-intearctions between Al³⁺ centers and tetracycline functional groups, reinforced by π–π stacking and hydrogen bonding. The Al-DST adsorbent maintained structural integrity over multiple cycles, highlighting its robustness and reusability. This work introduces a circular-economy approach that converts plastic waste into a value-added, high-performance adsorbent for antibiotic polluted water, offering a scalable pathway toward sustainable water purification technologies.
Source: Results in Engineering
Authors: Beenish Shazadi, Aqeel Ahmed Bazmi, Muhammad Yasin, Mazhar Amjad Gilani, Asim Laeeq Khan
Institutions: COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamic University of Madinah
Language: English
Subfield: Inorganic Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,940
OpenAlex ID: W4417073024