Scientific Studies
Antimicrobial Properties
of Copper Surfaces
Learn about Copper’s ability to reduce the spread of bacteria and viruses.
1. University of Southampton. “Using copper to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 10 November 2015.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151110102147.htm
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151110102147.htm
“Copper can effectively help to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses…”
“Researchers found that a closely-related human coronavirus – 229E – can remain infectious on common surface materials for several days, but is rapidly destroyed on copper.”
2. Minoshima, Masafumi, et al. “Comparison of the Antiviral Effect of Solid-State Copper and Silver Compounds.” Journal of Hazardous Materials, vol. 312, 15 July 2016, pp. 1–7., doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2016.03.023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27015373
3. Grass, Gregor, et al. “Metallic Copper as an Antimicrobial Surface.” Applied and Environmental Microbiology, vol. 77, no. 5, 2010, pp. 1541–1547., doi:10.1128/aem.02766-10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3067274/
This diagram from the study “Metallic Copper as an Antimicrobial Surface”
published by the American Society for Microbiology demonstrates “contact killing”.
Ions from a Copper surface damage and rupture the cell membrane.
4. Keevil, Bill. “Hospitals Should Learn About Copper’s Unsuspected Health Properties.” Newsweek, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2017. https://www.newsweek.com/copper-hospital-healing-medicine-561715
5. Casey, A.l., et al. “Role of Copper in Reducing Hospital Environment Contamination.” Journal of Hospital Infection, vol. 74, no. 1, 17 May 2010, pp. 72–77., doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2009.08.018. https://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S0195-6701(09)00408-3/abstract
6. Fujimori, Yoshie, et al. “Novel Antiviral Characteristics of Nanosized Copper(I) Iodide Particles Showing Inactivation Activity against 2009 Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Virus.” Applied and Environmental Microbiology, vol. 78, no. 4, 30 Jan. 2012, pp. 951–955., doi:10.1128/aem.06284-11.
https://aem.asm.org/content/78/4/951/article-info
https://aem.asm.org/content/78/4/951/article-info
7. Arendsen, Linda P., et al. “The Use of Copper as an Antimicrobial Agent in Health Care, Including Obstetrics and Gynecology.” Clinical Microbiology Reviews, vol. 32, no. 4, 14 Aug. 2019, doi:10.1128/cmr.00125-18. https://cmr.asm.org/content/32/4/e00125-18/article-info
8. American Society for Microbiology. “Copper hospital beds kill bacteria, save lives.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 8 November 2019. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191108132428.htm
“A new study has found that copper hospital beds in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) harbored an average of 95% fewer bacteria than conventional hospital beds, and maintained these low-risk levels throughout patients’ stay in hospital.”
9. Schmidt, Michael G., et al. “Self-Disinfecting Copper Beds Sustain Terminal Cleaning and Disinfection Effects throughout Patient Care.” Applied and Environmental Microbiology, vol. 86, no. 1, 13 Dec. 2019, doi:10.1128/aem.01886-19. https://aem.asm.org/content/86/1/e01886-19/article-info
10. Wilson, Mark. “Copper Kills Coronavirus. Why Aren’t Our Surfaces Covered in It?” Fast Company, Fast Company, 16 Mar. 2020, https://www.fastcompany.com/90476550/copper-kills-coronavirus-why-arent-our-surfaces-covered-in-it.
11. “EPA Approves Registration of Antimicrobial Copper Alloys.” Copper Development Association, 25 Mar. 2008, http://www.copper.org/about/pressreleases/2008/pr2008_Mar_25.html.
12. Laird, Joyce. “Turning to Copper to Fight Hospital Infections.” MachineDesign, 27 Oct. 2017, http://www.machinedesign.com/markets/medical/article/21836118/turning-to-copper-to-fight-hospital-infections.
13. Borkow, Gadi, et al. “A Novel Anti-Influenza Copper Oxide Containing Respiratory Face Mask.” PLoS ONE, vol. 5, no. 6, 25 June 2010, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0011295. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0011295
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