Organic ligands regulate the environmental impacts of metal-organic frameworks on nitrogen-fixing bacterium Azotobacter vinelandii.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are rapidly developed materials with fantastic properties and wide applications. The increasing studies highlighted the potential threats of MOF materials to the environment. Comparing to the limited species of metal elements, the organic ligands have much higher diversity, but the influence of organic ligands on the environmental impacts of MOFs has not been revealed.