Inorganic Antibody-Mimetic H-Zeolite Blocks Airborne Viruses via E340-Targeted Biorecognition

Respiratory viruses pose a persistent threat to human health, demanding effective strategies to block airborne transmission at the individual protection level. Traditional personal protective materials often lack intrinsic virucidal activity or suffer from cytotoxicity, failing to address the risk of secondary transmission. Herein, we highlight an H-type zeolite (H-Zeo) as a cost-effective, biocompatible, and inorganic antibody-mimetic inhibitor that efficiently inactivates SARS-CoV-2. The core antiviral mechanism relies on E340-targeted zeolite-protein biorecognition (ZPB): surface-localized H⁺ ions of H-Zeo form stable coordination bonds with the E340 residue of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD), with an interaction energy (-1080.2 ± 66.7 kJ·mol^-1) far exceeding that of the RBD-angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) interaction (-570.7 ± 69.4 kJ·mol^-1). This strong competitive binding potently blocks the RBD-ACE2 protein-protein interaction, the initial step of viral entry into host cells. Based on this mechanism, we developed an H-Zeo-based antiviral gauze (H-ZG) for personal protection, which achieves >99.99% inactivation of authentic SARS-CoV-2. Notably, H-Zeo maintains >90% cell viability across all tested concentrations, overcoming the cytotoxicity limitations of metal-exchanged zeolites (e.g., Cu-zeolite). As a low-cost, scalable, and biocompatible material, H-Zeo provides a practical solution for mitigating airborne SARS-CoV-2 transmission, with broad potential for application in personal protective equipment and public health interventions.