In-situ synthesis of regenerable ZIF-67/cellulose aerogel composites for rapid and high-capacity tetracycline adsorption

The presence of tetracycline (TC) in aquatic environments poses significant risks to ecosystems and human health. Although metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) show promise for TC removal, their powdery nature limits their application in water treatment. This study developed a hierarchical porous ZIF-67/cellulose aerogel composite (ZIF-67/CA) through crosslinking and in-situ growth. The composite exhibits a high specific surface area of 346 m 2 /g and large pore volume of 1.13 cm 3 /g, with its hierarchical pore architecture contributing to a remarkable TC adsorption capacity of 961.54 mg/g and rapid kinetics following the pseudo-second-order model. The adsorbent maintained over 61 % of its initial capacity after five regeneration cycles via H 2 O 2 -induced degradation. Combined with comprehensive mechanistic analysis, these findings demonstrate ZIF-67/CA as an efficient and reusable solution for antibiotic-contaminated water treatment. The ZIF-67/CA composite synthesized via in-situ growth demonstrates efficient adsorption of TC through multiple synergistic adsorption mechanisms. • ZIF-67 is anchored onto cellulose aerogel through ionic cross-linking and in situ growth. • ZIF-67/CA exhibits a hierarchically porous structure and a high specific surface area. • ZIF-67/CA shows rapid adsorption kinetics and excellent adsorption capacity. • H₂O₂ can serve as an effective regenerant for ZIF-67/CA.