Scientific Studies
Below are links to a more than 50 research studies—laboratory and research and published reviews supporting the efficacy of Antimicrobial Copper. For more information, including cost/benefit and ROI analyses and joining in ongoing research, please contact us at ever-clean@bedtechs.com.
Role of the Microbial Burden in the Acquisition and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections: The Utility of Solid Copper Surfaces. 2020
Solid copper surfaces have been found to be microbicidal to well over 30 bacteria, fungi and viruses.
Self- disinfecting Copper Beds Sustain Terminal Cleaning and Disinfection (TC&D) Effects Throughout Patient Care. 2020
In a clinical trial evaluating the largest fomite in the patient care setting, the bed, a bed was encapsulated with continuously antimicrobial copper surfaces, which reduced the bacteria on surfaces by 94% and sustained the microbial burden disinfecting below the terminal cleaning and disinfection risk threshold throughout the patient's stay.
Copper for the Prevention of Outbreaks of Health Care–Associated Infections in a Long-term Care Facility for Older Adults 2020
Copper was shown to reduce the incidence of hand-transmitted health care–associated infections and could represent a relatively simple measure to help prevent HAIs in nursing homes.. The risk of hand-transmitted health care–associated infection was significantly lower in the area equipped with copper surfaces (RR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1-0.5).
Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1 2020
Study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (conducted by CDC and NIH) that tests how long CoVID-19 survives on common healthcare surfaces. Note that the copper inactivates the virus 18X faster than plastic and 12X faster than stainless steel.
Decontamination in Hospitals and Healthcare, 2nd Edition. Edited by Jimmy Walker 2020
Chapter 13. The role of antimicrobial surfaces in hospitals to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)
Antimicrobial effect of copper alloys on Acinetobacter species isolated from infections and hospital environment 2019
In comparison to control surfaces, copper door handles and handrails revealed significantly lower contamination levels. This difference was observed in the five long-term care facilities and it persists through the three years of study. High and extreme levels of bacterial contamination were less frequent on copper surfaces.
Control athletic center components carried bacterial loads 94% larger than those found on copper alloy components. Exposure to copper destroyed the viral genomes and irreversibly affected virus morphology, including disintegration of envelope and dispersal of surface spikes. Strategically placing copper alloys in areas of high human contact can augment infection control efforts and potentially decrease community-acquired infections in athletic centers.
Copper Alloy Touch Surfaces in Healthcare Facilities: An Effective Solution to Prevent Bacterial Spreading. 2018
Copper Alloy Touch Surfaces in Healthcare Facilities: An Effective Solution to Prevent Bacterial Spreading
The aim of this study was to quantify whether the combination of chemical disinfectants with copper alloy surfaces results in an overall compromised, combined or even synergistic antimicrobial efficacy. commercially available disinfectants based on alcohol, quaternary ammonium compounds and aldehyde can effectively be combined in a dual strategy with solid copper alloy surfaces to reduce microbial contamination. Solid copper alloy surfaces and disinfectants synergize.
Control athletic center components carried bacterial loads 94% larger than those found on copper alloy components. Bacterial community characterization revealed Staphylococcusto be the most common bacterial genus found on grip surfaces.Strategically placing copper alloys in areas of high human contact can augment infection control efforts and potentially decrease community-acquired infections in athletic centers.
Antimicrobial copper alloys decreased bacteria on stethoscope surfaces 2017
Copper containing alloy displayed at least a tenfold reduction of the bacterial load consistently reaching less than 2.5 cfu/cm2. In contrast, no significant reduction of bacterial contamination by silver containing surfaces and matured pure silver was observed in the touch transfer assay.
Antimicrobial Properties of Selected Copper Alloys on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in Different Simulations of Environmental Conditions: With vs. without Organic Contamination 2017
This study confirmed the antimicrobial properties of copper alloys, and additionally showed that Staphylococcus aureus was more resistant than Escherichia coli in the variant of the experiment without organic contamination. Under conditions simulating organic contamination, all of the tested alloys were shown to have bactericidal or bacteriostatic properties, which was contrary to the results from stainless steel.
Reduction of Environmental Contamination With Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria by Copper-Alloy Coating of Surfaces in a Highly Endemic Setting 2017
Copper-coated items in an ICU setting with endemic high antimicrobial resistance reduced environmental colonization by MDROs. Copper coating significantly reduced the percentage of colonized surfaces (55.6% vs 72.5%; P<.0001), the percentage of surfaces colonized by MDR gram-negative bacteria (13.8% vs 22.7%; P=.003) or by enterococci (4% vs 17%; P=.014), the total bioburden (2,858 vs 7,631 cfu/100 cm2; P=.008), and the bioburden of gram-negative isolates, specifically (261 vs 1,266 cfu/100 cm2; P=.049). This effect was more pronounced when the ratio of coated surfaces around the patient was increased.
Antibiotic resistance, ability to form biofilm and susceptibility to copper alloys of selected staphylococcal strains isolated from touch surfaces in Polish hospital wards 2017
Coagulase-negative staphylococci, the most commonly isolated in Polish hospital wards, should not be neglected as an infection risk factor due their high antibiotic resistance. Our experiments confirmed that touch surfaces made of copper alloys may play an important role in eliminating bacteria from the hospital environment.
Potential of copper alloys to kill bacteria and reduce hospital infection rates 2017
A systematic review of the literature with a meta-analysis. Copper antimicrobial properties and research. This systematic review and meta-analyses suggest that the introduction of antimicrobial copper alloys in replacement of high-touch surfaces may have a positive effect on the incidence rate of HAIs. 2017
The role of copper surfaces in reducing the incidence of healthcare-associated infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis 2017
This systematic review and meta-analyses suggest that the introduction of antimicrobial copper alloys in replacement of high-touch surfaces may have a positive effect on the incidence rate of HAIs. Larger clinical trials will be needed to show an impact on mortality.
Antimicrobial Copper Surfaces in Hospitals. 2017
Infection control in hospitals is of paramount importance in order to reduce the potential for healthcare associated infections (an infection whose development is favoured by a healthcare environment.) Infection control is concerned with eliminating as many pathogenic microorganisms as possible and limiting their transfer.
The Copper Touch Project: Implementing Antimicrobial Surfaces to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Infections 2017
Reduced health care-associated infections in an acute care community hospital using a combination of self-disinfecting copper-impregnated composite hard surfaces and linens 2016
The new, copper-containing hospital wing had 78% (P = .023) fewer HAIs due to MDROs or C difficile, 83% (P = .048) fewer cases of C difficile infection, and 68% (P = .252) fewer infections due to MDROs relative to the baseline period. No changes in rates of HAI were observed in the unmodified hospital wing.
Potential effectiveness of copper surfaces in reducing health care– associated infection rates in a pediatric intensive and intermediate care unit: A nonrandomized controlled trial 2016
Copper surfaces were found to be equivalently antimicrobial in pediatric settings to activities reported for adult medical intensive care units. The log10 reduction to the microbial burden from antimicrobial copper surfaced bed rails was 1.996 (99%). Surprisingly, introduction of copper objects to 8 study rooms was found to suppress the microbial burden recovered from objects assessed in control rooms by log10 of 1.863 (73%).
Copper alloy surfaces sustain terminal cleaning levels in a rural hospital 2016
Conclusion: Copper surfaces warrant serious consideration when contemplating the introduction of no-touch disinfection technologies for reducing burden to limit acquisition of HAIs.
Copper as an antibacterial material in different facilities, including hospital, office, kindergarten and retirement home. 2016
The present study further shows that copper exerted an antibacterial effect in different facilities, i.e. in a hospital, a kindergarten, an office building and in a retirement home for the elderly. The study suggests that copper has potential use as an antibacterial material and therefore might serve as a means to lower the incidence of transmission of infectious agents from inanimate surfaces in different facilities, with everyday functions.
Copper alloys - The new ‘old’ weapon in the fight against infectious disease 2016
Review of copper antimicrobial properties, history and research
Small colony variants are more susceptible to copper-mediated contact killing for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus 2016
Preliminary data from the first 100 daily transfers presented here suggest that bacteria have very limited ability to evolve resistance to metallic copper. A significant increase in copper resistance was detected, but more than 97 % of bacterial cells were still killed within 60 min on brass. Of particular note is that copper has long been used as a common coinage metal. Previous studies have shown that viable bacterial cells can be isolated from copper coins with antimicrobial properties, although they have similar levels of resistance to metallic copper as the control strains, when re-examined under laboratory conditions with the wet inoculation method
Strains of Staphylococcus Aureus and Destruction of Their Genomes on Wet or Dry Copper Alloy Surfaces 2016
Bacterial respiration was compromised on copper surfaces, and superoxide was generated as part of the killing mechanism. In addition, destruction of genomic DNA occurs on copper and brass surfaces, allaying concerns about horizontal gene transfer and copper resistance. Incorporation of copper alloy biocidal surfaces may help to reduce the spread of this dangerous pathogen.
Human Coronavirus 229E Remains Infectious on Common Touch Surface Materials 2015
Human coronavirus 229E was rapidly inactivated on a range of copper alloys (within a few minutes for simulated fingertip contamination). Exposure to copper destroyed the viral genomes and irreversibly affected virus morphology, including disintegration of envelope and dispersal of surface spikes. Consequently, copper alloy surfaces could be employed in communal areas and at any mass gatherings to help reduce transmission of respiratory viruses from contaminated surfaces and protect the public health.
Copper surfaces are associated with significantly lower concentrations of bacteria on selected surfaces within a pediatric intensive care unit 2015
Copper surfaces were found to be equivalently antimicrobial in pediatric settings to activities reported for adult medical intensive care units. The log10 reduction to the microbial burden from antimicrobial copper surfaced bed rails was 1.996. Copper surfaces warrant serious consideration when contemplating the introduction of no-touch disinfection technologies for reducing burden to limit acquisition of HAIs. (99%). Introduction of copper objects to 8 study rooms was found to suppress the microbial burden recovered from objects assessed in control rooms by log10 of 1.863 (73%).
Destruction of the Capsid and Genome of GII.4 Human Norovirus Occurs during Exposure to Metal Alloys Containing Copper 2015
These results suggest that copper surfaces destroy HuNoV and may be useful in preventing environmental transmission of the virus in at-risk settings.
How clean is clean--is a new microbiology standard required? 2014
Results showthat when using the suggested standard of 2.5 CFU/cm, 93% of bed spaces and 32% of sites sampled failed screening. Using the suggested standard of 5 CFU/cm, morethan half of bed spaces (66%) would have needed to be closed and than half of bed spaces (66%) would have needed to be closed and recleaned and 15% of sites would have failed. Note: See: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31704675/
Copper Surfaces Reduce the Rate of Healthcare-Acquired Infections in the Intensive Care Unit DoD Funded Trial. 2013
Copper cuts infections by 58% in ICU. The rate of HAI and/or MRSA or VRE colonization in ICU rooms with copper alloy surfaces was significantly lower than that in standard ICU rooms (0.071 vs 0.123; P p .020). For HAI only, the rate was reduced from 0.081 to 0.034 (P p .013). Patients cared for in ICU rooms with copper alloy surfaces had a significantly lower rate of incident HAI and/or colonization with MRSA or VRE than did patients treated in standard rooms. Additional studies are needed to determine the clinical effect of copper alloy surfaces in additional patient populations and settings.
Sustained Reduction of Microbial Burden on Common Hospital Surfaces through Introduction of Copper DoD Funded Trial. 2013
Overall, copper was found to cause a significant (83%) reduction in the average microbial burden found on the objects compared to the controls. The microbial burden recovered from copper bed rails was 94% lower.
Inactivation of Norovirus on Dry Copper Alloy Surfaces 2013
We now report rapid inactivation of murine norovirus on alloys, containing over 60% copper, at room temperature but no reduction of infectivity on stainless steel dry surfaces in simulated wet fomite and dry touch contamination. The rate of inactivation was initially very rapid and proportional to copper content of alloy tested. The use of antimicrobial surfaces containing copper in high risk closed environments such as cruise ships and care facilities could help to reduce the spread of this highly infectious and costly pathogen.
Copper Continuously Limits the Concentration of Bacteria Resident on Bed Rails within the Intensive Care Unit 2013
Cleaning is an effective way to lower the bacterial burden (BB) on surfaces and minimize the infection risk to patients. However, BB can quickly return. Copper, when used to surface hospital bed rails, was found to consistently limit surface BB before and after cleaning through its continuous antimicrobial activity.
Efficacy of Commercially Available Antimicrobial Copper Surfaces Against Common Nosocomial Pathogens 2013. ID Week. Poster Abstract Session: Role of the Healthcare Environment in HAIs
All copper products demonstrated significantly enhanced killing compared with stainless steel, with two LuminOre products showing greatest efficacy for MSSA and VRE
Understanding the Role of Facility Design in the Acquisition and Prevention of Healthcare-associated Infections 2012
The role of the built environment in the transmission of pathogens
Enhancing Patient Safety through Strategic Placement of Copper Surfaces 2012
Copper surfaces consistently achieved the terminal cleaning standard of 2.5 Aerobic Colony Forming Units/cm2 during clinical care11 MRSA was only isolated once from 3,384 copper surfaces... a 99.9% reduction vs. control surfaces. The lower microbial burden on these copper objects resulted in a 42 percent decrease in the incidence of HAI/or colonization by MRSA or VRE (p=.020). The decrease in the rate of HAIs only was 58 percent (p=.013).12
Characterization and Control of the Microbial Community Affiliated with Copper or Aluminum Heat Exchangers of HVAC Systems 2012
Commonly used aluminum heat exchangers developed stable, mixed, bacterial/fungal biofilms in excess of 47,000 organisms per cm2 within 4 weeks of operation, whereas the antimicrobial properties of metallic copper were able to limit the microbial load affiliated with the copper heat exchangers to levels 99.97 % lower during the same time period.
Evaluation of Antimicrobial Properties of Copper Surfaces in an Outpatient Infectious Disease Practice 2012
Copper surfaces reduced the bacterial population on phlebotomy chair trays by 88% and chair arm surfaces by 90%. The majority of the samples from copperized surfaces has less than 2.5 CFU/cm2, which is a suggested standard for surface-level cleanliness. Only 5% of the non-copperized surfaces sampled achieved the microbiological standard for cleanliness. Use of the copper chair resulted in a 17-fold lower risk of exposure to environmental microbes than when patients used the standard chair.
Copper Surfaces Reduce the Microbial Burden in Out-Patient Infectious Disease Practice 2012
Poster The surfaces of regularly cleaned chairs within the phlebotomy area serve as a reservoir for the spread of bacteria, particularly staphylococci, to patients, healthcare workers, and visitors. The continuous microbiocidal activity of copper was apparent and effective in significantly reducing the total median burden by 90% on the top surface of the arms and by 88% on the trays associated with the chairs.
Horizontal Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes on Abiotic Touch Surfaces: Implications for Public Health 2012
Persistence of viable pathogenic bacteria on touch surfaces may not only increase the risk of infection transmission but may also contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance by HGT. The use of copper alloys as antimicrobial touch surfaces may help reduce infection and HGT.
Intrinsic Bacterial Burden Associated with Intensive Care Unit Hospital Beds: Effects of Disinfection on Population Recovery and Mitigation of Potential Infection Risk 2012
Cleaning with hospital-approved disinfectants reduced the intrinsic bacterial burden on bed rail surfaces by up to 99%, although the population, principally staphylococci, rebounded quickly to pre-disinfection levels.
Antimicrobial activity of different copper alloy surfaces against copper resistant and sensitive Salmonella enterica 2012
The results showed that under dry incubation conditions, Salmonella only survived 10-15 min on high copper content alloys. Salmonella on low copper content alloys showed 3-4 log reductions. Under moist incubation conditions, no survivors were detected after 30 min-2 h on high copper content alloys, while the cell counts decreased 2-4 logs on low copper content coupons. Research shows copper-based metals to have innate abilities to kill bacteria in laboratorysettings.
Experimental tests of copper components in ventilation systems for microbial control 2011
Fungal and bacterial loads on copper surfaces in heat exchangers were lower than on aluminum surfaces by factors of 3500 and more than 500, respectively, over a 4-month period
Control and mitigation of healthcare-acquired infections: designing clinical trials to evaluate new materials and technologies. 2011
Research shows copper-based metals to have innate abilities to kill bacteria in laboratory settings, but their effectiveness in patient care environments has not been adequately investigated.
Risk Mitigation of Hospital Acquired Infections Through the Use of Antimicrobial Copper Surface 2011
Poster 19th Annual Health Forum and American Hospital Association Leadership Summit, July 17-19, 2011, San Diego, CA. Use of Antimicrobial Copper Surfaces represents the first instance where a passive, but continuously active antimicrobial material --where an infection control measure that does not require human intervention--was able to significantly reduce the rate at which infections were contracted by hospitalized patients. A reduction in the environmental bacterial levels resulted in a 40.4% reduction of the HAI rates for patients treated in rooms with antimicrobial copper touch surfaces.
The potential for the application of metallic copper surfaces as a method for preventing surface and airborne microbial contamination in military healthcare facilities, food handling operations, and other occupational settings 2011
Poster There is potential for application of copper surfaces as a preventive agent in military healthcare and food processing facilities and in HVAC systems.
Bacterial Killing by Dry Metallic Copper Surfaces 2011
In conclusion, this study proposes cell envelope damage as the mode of action of contact killing mediated by dry metallic copper surfaces. The toxicity exerted does not target the genomic DNA in Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms tested, even though cells are overloaded with copper ions.
Mechanisms of Contact-Mediated Killing of Yeast Cells on Dry Metallic Copper Surfaces 2011
These results suggested rapid antifungal properties of dry copper surfaces, with pure copper being more efficient than alloys. However, viable cells were retrieved from stainless steel after 24 h of incubation
Mechanism of Copper Surface Toxicity in Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci following Wet or Dry Surface Contact 2011
Copper surface toxicity for enterococci involves the direct or indirect action of released copper ionic species and the generation of superoxide, resulting in arrested respiration and DNA breakdown as the first stages of cell death. The generation of hydroxyl radicals by the Fenton reaction does not appear to be the dominant instrument of DNA damage. The bacterial membrane potential is unaffected in the early stages of wet and dry surface contact, suggesting that the membrane is not compromised until after cell death.
Metallic Copper as an Antimicrobial Surface 2011
Review of the toxicity mechanisms of ionic copper
Role of Copper in Reducing Hospital Environment Contamination 2010
Based on the median total aerobic cfu counts from the study period, five out of ten control sample points and zero out of ten copper points failed proposed benchmark values of a total aerobic count of <5cfu/cm(2).This systematic review and meta-analyses suggest that the introduction of antimicrobial copper alloys in replacement of high-touch surfaces may have a positive effect on the incidence rate of HAIs. Larger clinical trials will be needed to show an impact on mortality.
Survival of bacteria on metallic copper surfaces in a hospital trial. 2010
Bacteria are rapidly killed on dry metallic copper surfaces. The mode of killing likely involves copper cations being released from the metallic copper and reactive oxygen species. In everyday hospital setting, the copper alloys decreased the number of colony-forming units by one third compared to control aluminum or plastic surfaces. After disinfection, repopulation of the surfaces was delayed on copper alloys. This study demonstrates that the use of copper-containing alloys may limit the spread of multiple drug-resistant bacteria in hospitals.
Effects of Temperature and Humidity on the Efficacy of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Challenged Antimicrobial Materials Containing Silver and Copper 2009
At ambient indoor environments (temperature and %RH), 5 common copper alloys exhibited a 6-7 log reduction in MRSA viability after 75 minutes. In comparison no meaningful reduction in MRSA was observed on the silver-ion coatings and stainless steel (S304) over 360 minutes.
A Pilot Study to Determine the Effectiveness of Copper in Reducing the Microbial Burden of Objects in Rooms of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Patients 2008
Poster, Objects in close proximity to the patient, such as Bed Rails and nurse call button had significantly higher mean MBs compared to other objects in the room
Survival of Clostridium difficile on copper 2008
Complete death of spores was observed after 24-48 h on copper alloys whereas no significant death rate was observed on stainless steel even after 168 h. The use of CTC gave comparable results to culture and offers a more rapid viability analysis (8 h) than culture. The results suggest that using copper alloys in hospitals and other healthcare facilities could offer the potential to reduce spread of C. difficile from contaminated surfaces
The Antimicrobial Activity of Copper and Copper Alloys Against Nosocomial Pathogens and Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Isolated From Healthcare Facilities in the Western Cape: An In-Vitro Study 2007
Two M. tuberculosis strains, one isoniazid resistant (R267) and the other multidrug resistant (R432), demonstrated growth inhibition with Cu of 98% and 88% respectively compared with PVC. Effective inhibition of nosocomial pathogens and MTB by Cu and alloys was best when the Cu content was >55%
The Antimicrobial Properties of Copper Alloys and their Potential Applications 2007
In order to make antimicrobial claims in the U.S., the approval of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required.
Inactivation of Influenza A Virus on Copper versus Stainless Steel Surfaces 2007
The control of the influenza A virus, particularly with the emergence of potentially pandemic strains, demands the highest level of hygiene control, requiring multiple-barrier protection. Simply replacing steel fittings with copper will not prevent the transmission of influenza. How- ever, the current study shows that copper surfaces may con- tribute to the number of control barriers able to reduce trans- mission of the virus, particularly in facilities, such as schools and health care units, where viral contamination has the ability to cause serious infection
The Effects of Copper Alloy Surfaces on the Viability of Bacterium, E. coli 0157:H7 2004
Copper inhibited the growth of E. coliO157, while no inhibition was observed on stainless steel surfaces. This bacterium was found to be nonviable in a few hours when placed on copper surfaces, but survived for many days on stainless steel.
Doorknobs: a source of nosocomial infection? 1983
Aluminum and stainless steel produced heavy growths of all isolates after eight days and growths of most isolates after 3 weeks. Copper disinfected itself of some microbes within 15 minutes. Brass in seven hours or less depending on the inoculum size.
Efficacy Test Methods, Test Criteria, and Labeling Guidance for Antimicrobial Products with Claims Against Biofilm on Hard, Non-Porous Surfaces
This document provides test methods for evaluating the efficacy of antimicrobial pesticides. These test methods and guidance provide a framework for registrants who seek to make a claim for antimicrobial pesticide products to control these bacteria on hard, non-porous surfaces.