Applications of metal-organic frameworks and zeolites to virus detection and control: biosensors, barriers, and biocomposites

Viruses affect humanity causing deaths and economic problems all over the world. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and zeolites are nanoporous compounds that can be tailor-synthetized to specific applications to detect and control virus infections. Three main applications are found for these materials towards viruses: biosensors, barriers and biocomposites. Biosensors based on MOFs and zeolites possess a high selectivity in fluorescence assays to detect virus genetic material. Barriers based on modified zeolites are tools to remove or concentrate viruses in water sources, besides zeolites powders can be added to other materials like fabrics and plastics to create or enhance physical barriers to viruses. Biocomposites are materials that are composed of at least one natural resource, constituting a new technology, which can be a strategy to deliver drugs in medicine and protect biological substances against denaturing process, under this concept it is possible to create vaccine-based viral-like particles.