My research concentrates on utilizing the broad diversity of existing materials with unique properties and combining them with each other to create innovative and urgently required solutions for current societal challenges, e.g. securing access to clean water. Herein we focus on both resource recovery and water treatment using porous composite materials, with a particular emphasis on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as active capturing agents, e.g. as advanced heterogeneous catalysts and/or as photocatalysts. By precisely tailoring the inorganic nodes, e.g. by mixing various metals (M = Ti, Zr, Ce, Hf), and organic linkers within these frameworks, we can customize the microenvironment and dimensions of the internal pores, we are able to achieve size-selective separations, ensuring that only target molecular contaminants reach the active metal centers while avoiding active site poisoning from larger, non-target substances Guided by life cycle assessments, our work aims to minimize environmental impact while maximizing material value through establishing robust regeneration and recycling protocols.