Advances in adsorptive clean water remediation using covalent organic frameworks: Synthesis, application, and lifecycle insights

The global pursuit of clean water and sanitation has intensified the demand for efficient treatment technologies, with adsorption recognized as a highly effective approach for eliminating a broad range of pollutants. Conventional water treatment approaches often struggle to address the complexity, persistence,and diversity of contaminants, highlighting the need for advanced materials that align with environmentally responsible practices. Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs), due to their crys talline structure, stability, and tunable porous organic polymers, have gained attention for adsorption-based water purification. These materials are constructed through strong covalent bonding between monomers. This review provides a detailed discussion on the adsorptive removal of pollutants using COFs, covering major synthesis approaches. The microwave-assisted synthesis is highlighted as a promising green route, whereas post-synthetic modifications offer precise tuning of adsorptive sites. The structural and functionalization of COFs are examined in relation to their adsorption mechanisms and their efficiency in removing organic, inorganic, and emerging pollutants. This review also included a dedicated section on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of COFs, evaluating their environmental sustainability and relevance to broader global targets. The review concludes by outlining current limitations and future directions for advancing COF-based adsorption technologies for water remediation in a sustainable and scalable manner.