The　vigorous　increase　of　the　frequency　of　water　pollution　has　become　serious　bottlenecks　constraining　national　economy　and　modern　industry　development.　Therefore,　the　research　on　the　control　and　treatment　of　water　contaminants　is　of　great　significance　and　urgency.　Zeolitic　imidazolate　frameworks　(ZIFs),　as　a　product　of　chemical　and　material　science　that　have　been　rapidly　developing　in　recent　years,　have　received　extensive　attention　around　the　world　and　have　been　applied　to　waste　water　treatment　owing　to　their　stable　structure,　high　surface　area　and　excellent　performance.　Taking　the　ZIF-8　as　the　representative,　this　paper　reviews　the　research　and　development　on　the　application　of　ZIFs　to　remove　water　contaminants.　The　performance　of　the　ZIFs　in　removal　of　water　contaminants　as　the　adsorbent　and　photocatalyst　is　introduced　systematically,　the　factors　influencing　water　contaminants　removal　by　ZIFs　are　summed　up.　Moreover,　it　has　carried　on　the　forecast　to　later　period＇s　research.　The　objective　of　this　paper　is　to　provide　theoretical　reference　for　the　practical　application　of　ZIFs　to　the　treatment　of　real　waste　water.　©　2016,　Editorial　Office　of　Progress　in　Chemistry.　All　right　reserved.