International Journal of Nanomedicine (May 2023)

Mitigation of SARS-CoV-2 by Using Transition Metal Nanozeolites and Quaternary Ammonium Compounds as Antiviral Agents in Suspensions and Soft Fabric Materials

  • Guerrero-Arguero I,
  • Khan SR,
  • Henry BM,
  • Garcia-Vilanova A,
  • Chiem K,
  • Ye C,
  • Shrestha S,
  • Knight D,
  • Cristner M,
  • Hill S,
  • Waldman WJ,
  • Dutta PK,
  • Torrelles JB,
  • Martinez-Sobrido L,
  • Nagy AM

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 18
pp. 2307 – 2324

Abstract

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Israel Guerrero-Arguero,1 Siddiqur Rahman Khan,1 Brandon M Henry,1 Andreu Garcia-Vilanova,1 Kevin Chiem,1 Chengjin Ye,1 Sweta Shrestha,2 Deborah Knight,3 Mark Cristner,4 Shauna Hill,4 W James Waldman,3 Prabir K Dutta,2,5 Jordi B Torrelles,1 Luis Martinez-Sobrido,1 Amber M Nagy1,4 1Disease Intervention & Prevention and Population Health Programs, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA; 2ZeoVation Inc., Columbus, OH, USA; 3Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; 4Chief Scientist’s Office of Science and Technology, 59th Medical Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, TX, USA; 5Department of Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USACorrespondence: Prabir K Dutta; Amber M Nagy, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has demonstrated the need for novel, affordable, and efficient reagents to help reduce viral transmission, especially in high-risk environments including medical treatment facilities, close quarters, and austere settings. We examined transition-metal nanozeolite suspensions and quaternary ammonium compounds as an antiviral surface coating for various textile materials.Methods: Zeolites are crystalline porous aluminosilicate materials, with the ability of ion-exchanging different cations. Nanozeolites (30 nm) were synthesized and then ion-exchanged with silver, zinc and copper ions. Benzalkonium nitrate (BZN) was examined as the quaternary ammonium ion (quat). Suspensions of these materials were tested for antiviral activity towards SARS-CoV-2 using plaque assay and immunostaining. Suspensions of the nanozeolite and quat were deposited on polyester and cotton fabrics and the ability of these textiles towards neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 was examined.Results: We hypothesized that transition metal ion containing zeolites, particularly silver and zinc (AM30) and silver and copper (AV30), would be effective in reducing the infectivity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Additionally, AM30 and AV30 antiviral potency was tested when combined with a quaternary ammonium carrier, BZN. Our results indicate that exposure of SARS-CoV-2 to AM30 and/or AV30 suspensions reduced viral loads with time and exhibited dose-dependence. Antiviral activities of the combination of zeolite and BZN compositions were significantly enhanced. When used in textiles, AM30 and AV30-coated cotton and polyester fabrics alone or in combination with BZN exhibited significant antiviral properties, which were maintained even after various stress tests, including washes, SARS-CoV-2-repeated exposures, or treatments with soil-like materials.Conclusion: This study shows the efficacy of transition metal nanozeolite formulations as novel antiviral agents and establishes that nanozeolite with silver and zinc ions (AM30) and nanozeolite with silver and copper ions (AV30) when combined with benzalkonium nitrate (BZN) quickly and continuously inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in suspension and on fabric materials.Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, disinfection, quats, zeolites, transition metals, coated fabrics

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