Quantitative Environmental Monitoring of Pharmaceuticals in Complex Matrices using Isoreticular Ln-BDC Frameworks through Non-Covalent Interactions

Lanthanide-based metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) offer a unique combination of adsorption capabilities and tunable luminescent properties, making them promising materials for environmental applications. This study details the synthesis of a family of isoreticular Ln-MOFs (Ln = Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy) using benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid (BDC) as a linker, yielding materials with nanometric crystallite sizes. We explore their efficiency in removing four emerging contaminants (ECs) and systematically evaluate the impact of adsorption on their luminescent properties. While exhibiting a maximum adsorption of 50.2% for naproxen on Dy 2 (BDC) 3 , highlighting the influence of EC functional groups, the materials demonstrate superior functionality as a luminescent sensor. Notably, ciprofloxacin adsorption induces a significant and specific luminescence enhancement (up to 202.24% for Eu-MOF), suggesting great potential for luminescence-based chemical sensing applications. The consistent fitting to the Freundlich model supports the occurrence of adsorption on energetically heterogeneous surfaces. These findings underscore the versatility of Ln-MOF for environmental monitoring through a mechanism that combines adsorption and modulated luminescence.