Browsing by Author "Kiteto, Moses"

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Advances in metal–organic frameworks as adsorbents, photocatalysts and membranes: a new frontier in water purification
(Springer Nature Link, 2024-08-06) Kiteto, Moses; Vidija, Beryl; Mecha, Cleophas; Mrosso, Register; Chollom, Martha
Water is an essential and irreplaceable necessity for life on earth, sustaining ecosystems, nourishing agriculture and vital for human survival. However, increasing population and industrialization has exacerbated water scarcity and pollution. The Sustainable Development Goal 6 focuses on clean water and sanitation for all; thus, water purification and conservation are key priorities globally. Rampant pollution of water sources by emerging bio-recalcitrant contaminants, often deviant of conventional treatment methods, necessitates new approaches to water treatment. In this regard, metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are gaining prominence and offer solutions in versatile applications due to their unique structural characteristics and tunable properties. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of MOFs, covering their diverse structures, types, synthesis methods and characterization techniques. We explore the application of MOFs in water purification, as adsorbents, photocatalysts, and in membrane separation. The mechanism of operation of MOFs in each application is critically evaluated. The effect of the water treatment methods on energy consumption has also been investigated. We propose that for MOFs application in water treatment to be competitive and sustainable, there is need to address key issues such as synthesis of highly selective MOFs, recovery and reuse, scalability (pilot and industrial scale), and integration with existing water treatment technologies to create synergy. We provide future perspectives on these aspects. ·
Synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic degradation of Reactive Blue dye 171 using copper-based metal organic framework
(Sage Journals, 2025-06) Kiteto, Moses; Vidija, Beryl; Achisa, Cleophas; Mrosso, Register; Chollom, Martha
The presence of organic dyes in wastewater, particularly the azo chromophore based reactive dyes, is a formidable challenge to existing water treatment technologies. Advanced methods such as the use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a promising solution. The MOFs are versatile and encompass applications in adsorption, photocatalysis, and membrane separation processes. The present study investigated photocatalytic degradation of Reactive Blue dye 171 using copper (II) dipyridyl chloride MOF under visible light (sunlight). The MOF was synthesized via the hydrothermal method and characterized by Light microscopy, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The effect of photocatalyst mass (0.1 to 0.3 g) and use of hydrogen peroxide as an electron acceptor was evaluated. The MOF had uniform well defined hexagonal crystals, and a 3.30 eV band gap energy indicating visible light absorption. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of reactive blue dye increased as the photocatalyst mass increased, reaching 76%, 83%, and 93% for 0.1 g, 0.2 g and 0.3 g, respectively. The addition of hydrogen peroxide as an electron acceptor accelerated the process resulting in a 99% degradation efficiency and a fourfold increase in the first order reaction rate constants from 0.0231 min−1 (MOF) to 0.094 min−1 (MOF + H2O2). The study demonstrated that solar photocatalytic MOFs are a promising material for the degradation of organic pollutants such as dyes from water.