Metal-organic　frameworks　(MOFs),　as　a　new　type　of　nanomaterial,　have　been　rapidly　developed　and　widely　applied　in　the　environmental　area.　However,　the　algae　removal　efficiency　of　MOFs,　the　effect　of　metal　ions　and　organic　ligands　contained　in　MOFs　and　the　stability　of　MOFs　in　water　need　further　study.　Based　on　the　characteristics　of　algae,　five　types　of　MOFs,　which　were　Cu-MOF-74,　Zn-MOF-74,　ZIF-8,　Ag/AgCl@ZIF-8　and　MIL-125(Ti)　were　synthesized　and　characterized　by　X-ray　diffractometer　(XRD),　field　emission　scanning　electron　microscope　(FESEM),　and　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS).　The　effect　of　MOFs　on　the　growth　of　Microcystis　aeruginosa　was　comparatively　studied,　and　the　inhibition　mechanism　of　MOFs　on　algae　as　well　as　the　stability　of　MOFs　was　explored.　Results　showed　that　all　of　the　as-synthetic　MOFs　had　superior　stability　in　water,　and　the　order　of　stability　of　MOFs　followed　the　order　MIL-125(Ti)　>　Cu-MOF-74　>　Ag/AgCl@ZIF-8　>　ZIF-8　>　Zn-MOF-74.　The　types　of　metal　ions　and　organic　ligands　doped　in　MOFs　have　grade　affected　the　inhibitory　efficiency　on　the　algae:　containing　Cu2+　and　Ag+　ions,　MOFs　had　more　significant　inhibitory　capacity　to　algae　than　those　containing　Zn2+　ions;　meanwhile,　compared　with　MOFs　which　are　assembled　with　2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic　acid　(DHTA)　organic　ligands,　MOFs　containing　2-methylimidazole　(GC)　organic　contributed　to　the　removal　of　algae　significantly.　The　order　of　inhibitory　effects　of　algae　by　five　MOFs　follows　the　order　Cu-MOF-74　>　Ag/AgCl@ZIF-8　>　ZIF-8　>　Zn-MOF-74　>　MIL-125(Ti).　The　physiological　characteristics　of　algal　cells　were　changed　after　being　treated　with　different　concentrations　of　Cu-MOF-74.　Once　the　concentration　of　Cu-MOF-74　reached　1　mg　L-1,　the　algal　cells　began　to　be　inhibited,　the　relative　inhibition　rate　of　algal　cells　at　120　h　was　over　400%,　and　the　inhibition　process　fitted　pseudo-second-order　kinetic　model　well.　The　Cu2+　released　by　Cu-MOF-74　that　the　concentration　higher　than　1　mg　L-1　would　lead　to　the　destruction　of　algae　cell　morphology　and　the　loss　of　cell　integrity,　causing　cell　contents　to　be　partially　released　into　the　water,　promoting　the　accumulation　and　precipitation　of　algal　cells　which　were　destabilizing　already　to　achieve　the　purpose　of　inhibition　of　algae.　In　summary,　MOFs　can　be　used　to　inhibit　the　growth　of　cyanobacteria　and　have　a　promising　application　prospect.　©　2018　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.