Sensor and Protection Technologies Against Viruses Using Porphyrin-based MOFs and COFs

Abstract

Since the COVID-19 pandemic triggered in 2020, there has been an effervescence of interest in detecting, controlling and eradicating viruses, and developing technologies accordingly. This is the case for the colored, strongly luminescent, photo-and electrochemically active porphyrin-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent-organic frameworks (COFs) in this emerging applied field. This review covers significant research developments for efficient viral detection, protection and elimination that occurred mostly during the past decade. Sensor designs utilise porphyrin-based MOFs and COFs as interfaces to selectively detect with very high sensitivity biological materials associated with target viruses (capture of RNA as stimulus for example), thus allowing for early detection of their associated diseases. The sensor techniques are based on chemiluminescence, electrochemiluminescence, photoelectrochemical bioeassays, and photodynamic effect. The deactivation of viruses is based on the photodynamic therapy approach where the photosensitization of singlet oxygen is performed by the porphyrin chromophore, which is unavoidably placed at close proximity of the virus due to the short-lived reactive oxygen species (ROS; 3.1 μs in water). The characteristics of this ROS entity and mechanism will be described with some relevant details. Finally, the development of self-protection has also been addressed in the literature and concerns the modification of face masks with porphyrin-based porous materials for adsorption purposes.