Copper is great at killing superbugs Fantasilandia in Chile, one of Latin America’s largest theme parks, has
replaced its most frequently touched surfaces with copper to help reduce the spread of germs and protect the health of its visitors. But why? Because copper and its alloys exhibit impressive antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties.
Copper has been exploited for health purposes since ancient times. Egyptian and Babylonian soldiers would sharpen their bronze swords (an alloy of copper and tin) after a battle, and
place the filings in their wounds to reduce infection and speed healing.
Medicinal uses of copper go back to ancient Egypt. Shutterstock Copper was also used to
cure medical problems in ancient China and India and is an important component of
Ayurveda medicine today. Hippocrates in Greece and the Aztecs used copper oxide and copper carbonate, combined with other chemicals such as sodium carbonate, olive paste and honey, to treat skin infections
Copper workers in Paris were protected from several cholera epidemics and French wineries even applied copper sulphate and slaked lime, called
Bordeaux mixture, to vines to prevent fungal attack.
Copper is amazing
But only now does our research describe how
copper and its alloys exhibit these impressive properties and the processes involved. The process involves the release of copper ions (electrically charged particles) when microbes, transferred by touching, sneezing or vomiting, land on the copper surface. The ions prevent cell respiration, punch holes in the bacterial cell membrane or disrupt the viral coat, and
destroy the DNA and RNA inside.
This latter property is important as it means that no mutation can occur – preventing the microbe from developing resistance to copper. Global concern is growing over antimicrobial resistance and the risk of death that it presents from common infections in even minor operations. Therefore, it is fortunate that
copper alloys kill superbugs, including MRSA and those from the notorious
ESKAPE group of pathogens – the leading cause of hospital-acquired infections.