Heavy metal contamination in water bodies poses a persistent threat to aquatic ecosystems and public health. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising adsorbents due to their exceptional surface areas, tunable pore structures, and chemically versatile frameworks. However, despite extensive laboratory-scale success, the practical deployment of MOFs for heavy metal removal remains limited. This review argues that progress requires moving beyond isolated material optimization toward a system-level assessment. We evaluate MOF-based heavy metal adsorption through five interdependent dimensions that collectively determine real-world viability: water stability, selectivity in multi-ion matrices, regenerability over multiple cycles, scalability from gram to kilogram production, and real-water validation under authentic wastewater conditions. A critical observation is that while most studies report the number of cycles, very few investigate the root causes of performance decline during regeneration. We also highlight the gap between idealized laboratory conditions and complex real wastewater, where competing cations, natural organic matter, and suspended solids can severely compromise performance. Building on recent advances in adaptive MOFs, closed-loop resource recovery, and AI-driven material design, we propose a n integrated framework uniting responsive materials, smart regeneration, and process engineering. This review offers a practical roadmap for transitioning MOF-based heavy metal remediation from laboratory promise to deployable technology, emphasizing that progress depends on system integration rather than incremental material refinement.

This investigation addressed the challenge of lead-containing wastewater treatment. We successfully synthesized a novel bimetallic magnetic adsorbent, MOF@Fe₃O₄-PAA, for Pb(II) removal by incorporating Ti ions via hydrothermal/chemical modification. Combined SEM, XRD, BET, FTIR, and XPS characterization elucidated its structure-property relationships. Results demonstrated optimal adsorption at pH 5.0 with a maximum capacity of 295.8 mg/g. Kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order model (R²=0.999), indicating chemisorption dominance. Isotherm analysis favored the Temkin equation (R²=0.979), suggesting combined physicochemical interactions. Thermodynamics revealed spontaneous exothermic adsorption (ΔG < 0, ΔH < 0) with enhanced efficacy at low temperatures. Selectivity tests showed significantly higher affinity for Pb(II) over competing ions (e.g., Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺). Amino (-NH₂) and sulfhydryl (-SH) functional groups enabled Pb(II) binding via coordination, yielding high adsorption capacity, rapid equilibrium attainment, and facile magnetic recovery. This work provides an innovative strategy for efficient wastewater Pb(II) removal.