Polyoxometalate-Based Materials for the Removal of Contaminants from Wastewater: A Review

Water pollution from the continuous disposal of hazardous substances has become a serious issue and a global concern for the environment and public health. Removal of these pollutants from water is an ongoing challenge, and several approaches have been proposed and applied for this purpose. Adsorption is one of the common and most efficient approaches often used because it is simple, quick processing, inexpensive, and eco-friendly. Polyoxometalates (POMs) are a well-known class of metal-oxygen cluster compounds with tunable structure and size and highly electronegative and oxo-enriched surfaces. Owing to their electronic and physical properties, they have attracted considerable attention in the field of pollutants removal from wastewater. This review discusses the advances made over the last 10 years in the removal of toxic pollutants from wastewater using POMs-based materials. Furthermore, we summarize the recent synthetic strategies used to modify POMs-based materials and their applications in adsorption of pollutants. Knowledge gaps and current challenges in this research area are also discussed to support the development prospect of these materials for industrial use.