Exploring the Antimicrobial Potential of Natural Zeolites for Cleaner Water and Air: A Comprehensive Review

Microbial contamination of air and water remains a major global health and environmental challenge, while scalable and sustainable antimicrobial materials are still insufficiently developed. Natural zeolites represent a promising green platform owing to their abundance, low cost, chemical and thermal stability, structural porosity, and intrinsic ion-exchange capacity, which enable their functionalization with a wide range of antimicrobial agents. This review examines the antimicrobial potential of natural zeolites, focusing on the structural and chemical features that promote the incorporation of metal ions (Ag+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Co2+), nanoparticles (Ag, CuO, ZnO, TiO2, Au, NiO), and antimicrobial molecules. The main microbial inactivation mechanisms, including oxidative stress, membrane disruption, enzyme inhibition, and ion release, are discussed. Applications in both air and water treatment are critically reviewed, including VOC adsorption, particulate matter removal, airborne pathogen inactivation, and the removal of heavy metals, ammonium, organic micropollutants, radiological species, and microbial contaminants from water. Finally, current challenges in translating zeolite-based antimicrobial systems into scalable real-world technologies are highlighted, together with future directions toward sustainable and multifunctional treatment solutions.