A MIL-53(Fe) analogue was successfully synthesized by a HF free-solvothermal method. The sample was characterized by XRD, N₂ adsorption (BET), TEM, FTIR, XPS and AAS. From the N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherms, it can be seen that the structure of MIL-53(Fe) in the anhydrous form exhibits closed pores with almost no accessible porosity to nitrogen gas. The XPS results reveal that Fe is really incorporated into the MIL-53(Fe) framework. In the hydrated form, the pores of MIL-53(Fe) are filled with water molecules. Thus, MIL-53(Fe) exhibited a very high adsorption capacity of As(V) in aqueous solution (Q_max of 21.27 mg g⁻¹). Adsorption kinetics data revealed that As(V) adsorption isotherms fit the Langmuir model and obey the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation.

Partial isomorphous substitution of Cr by Fe in the MIL-101 framework was achieved by direct synthesis using a hydrothermal method (conventionally, solvothermal method). The products were characterized by XRD, EDX, N₂ adsorption (BET), TEM, UV-vis, FTIR, XPS and testing the photo-Fenton activities in the degradation of the commercial reactive dye RR195. From FTIR and XPS results, it was revealed that Fe is really incorporated into the MIL-101 framework. From EDX results, an amount of ca. 25% of Cr atoms in the MIL-101 framework is substituted by Fe atoms. Fe substituted Cr-MIL-101 showed high adsorption capacity of reactive dye. Moreover, this material exhibited high photo-Fenton activity in reactive dye degradation, opening new applications of MOFs as novel heterogenous photo-Fenton catalysts.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) has been known as an excellent photocatalyst for the degradation of a variety of organic pollutants under UV irradiation. This work describes a synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles via a facile precipitation method, and Ag was doped into Ag/ZnO nanocomposite to improve the photocatalytic degradation of BPA under visible light irradiation. The obtained ZnO nanoparticles were 20 nm in size and had a relatively high surface area and pore volume, 26.2 m²/g and 0.48 cm³/g, respectively. The deposition of Ag led to a decrease in the surface area, pore volume, and band gap energy () of ZnO nanoparticles. However, the photocatalytic activity of Ag/ZnO composite in the case increased. The performance of ZnO was compared with Ag/ZnO composites at the different molar ratios, and the kinetic reaction of BPA in these catalysts was investigated by the first-order kinetic model. The sample of Ag/ZnO-10 composite had the highest catalytic activity and showed the degradation efficiency, reaction rate, and degradation capacity of 100% in 120 min, 0.014 min^-1, and 40 mg/g, respectively. In comparison, the effects of Ag/ZnO molar ratio, catalyst dosage, solution pH, and concentration of BPA on photocatalytic degradation were investigated. Additionally, the photocatalytic performance of Ag/ZnO-10 composite was evaluated by the degradation of other persistent organic compounds such as phenol, tartrazine, and methylene blue and compared to other catalysts in literature.

In general, the polysulfone (PSf) membranes are popular choices for water treatment because they have high thermal stability and good chemical resistance. On the other hand, the filtration capacity of the polysulfone membrane is limited because of its low water flux and poor antifouling ability, which are caused by the low surface hydrophilicity of the membranes. In this research, blending of graphene oxide (GO) or graphene oxide-titanium dioxide (GO-TiO₂) mixture into the polysulfone matrix had been carried out through the phase inversion method to enhance the hydrophilic and antifouling properties. Methods such as energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and water contact angle measurement were used to examine the surface properties of the prepared membranes. Experimental results have led to a conclusion that graphene oxide can be stabilized into prepared membranes, and then, by reducing the water contact angle values, the surface of these membranes becomes hydrophilic, which increases the permeability and the water flux of methylene blue from the aqueous feed solution, improving the membrane’s antifouling resistance.