Covalent organic frameworks as a novel class of adsorbents for mercury removal from aqueous solutions

Mercury is a highly toxic environmental pollutant that poses significant risks to both ecological systems and human health. Therefore, the development of efficient and stable mercury adsorbent materials has become a focal point in environmental research. In recent years, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have shown great promise in the field of heavy metal adsorption, owing to their high specific surface area, tunable pore structures, and abundant functional active sites. This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent advances and effective strategies in COFs for mercury adsorption, with a particular emphasis on the underlying adsorption mechanisms, such as ligand chelation and electrostatic interactions. Furthermore, this paper outlines the current challenges associated with the application of COFs in mercury removal and discusses potential directions for future research. This work aims to serve as a reference for the continued development and application of COFs in addressing heavy metal pollution.