S17: Antimicrobial properties of copper alloys and their applications

The antimicrobial property of copper has been used for centuries but has never been fully quantified. This has changed in recent years with work coordinated by the Copper Development Association (US).  Extensive laboratory testing resulted in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registration of over 280 copper alloys as antimicrobial materials that kill the following disease-causing bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Enterobacter aerogenes, Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis,  and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

 In order to demonstrate the benefit of copper touch surfaces in the clinical setting, trials at three Intensive Care Units (ICUs) are underway at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York City, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center (RHJVA), both located in Charleston, South Carolina.  The trials are funded by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Telemedicine and Advanced Technologies Research Center (TATRC).  The trials have examined environmental bacterial loads in ICU rooms retrofitted with copper touch surfaces in comparison to control rooms. The impact of copper touch surfaces on cross-contamination and infection rates will also be examined. 

 Solid copper alloys can be used to fabricate products prone to microbial contamination in healthcare and public settings. Products such as IV poles, bedrails, equiment carts, hand rails, door hardware, and counters fabricated from copper alloys continuosly kill bacteria that cause infections.