Antimicrobial Copper Surfaces

Copper and its alloys, brass and bronze, are naturally antimicrobial materials. Recent laboratory research performed under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-approved protocols demonstrated that, when cleaned regularly, copper alloy surfaces kill more than 99.9% of several bacteria known to be human pathogens within two hours. Tests were conducted at room temperature and under normal humidity conditions. The organisms tested were:

Staphylococcus aureus
Enterobacter aerogenes
Escherichia coli O157:H7
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

275 copper alloys, including brass and bronze, have been registered with the US EPA as antimicrobial materials that kill these bacteria. The materials offer a wide range of mechanical and aesthetic properties that make them ideal for use as antibacterial surfaces. Copper alloys are the first solid materials ever to be granted such registration. Typically, this type of registration has been granted to liquids (or aerosols) and gases under the categories of sanitizers and disinfectants.

Frequently-touched surfaces in healthcare and other community facilities including public and commercial buildings can become contaminated with bacteria. Using uncoated copper alloys can be an effective way to kill the bacteria on these surfaces.

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The use of copper alloy surfaces is a supplement to and not a substitute for standard infection control practices; users must continue to follow all current infection control practices, including those practices related to cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces. The copper alloy surface material has been shown to reduce microbial contamination, but it does not necessarily prevent cross contamination.