There is a very solid body of evidence showing copper’s broad spectrum of antimicrobial efficacy and copper’s ability to inhibit the most important pathogens challenging public health today, including MRSA, Clostridium difficile, Escherichia coli (E.coli), Legionella pneumophila (Legionnaire’s disease bactera) and Influenza A viruses. Clinical trials examining copper’s antimicrobial potential and role in fighting pathogens, transmissions of germs and Influenza A viruses such the bird flu and swine flu epidemics are being conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and in South Africa.
Extremely noteworthy is that the EPA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has approved the registration of copper as an antimicrobial agent to reduce harmful bacteria linked to potentially deadly microbial infections, following a year of comprehensive testing in an independent US laboratory. The tests showed that 99.9% of bacteria on a copper surface were eliminated within just 2 hours of exposure. Typically this type of registration has previously been granted only to liquids and gases falling under the sanitizer and disinfectant categories. Copper’s mechanical and aesthetic properties makes it an ideal choice for use in all products or surfaces offering us the benefits of copper’s antimicrobial power.
A concise reference article available for download is Copper: essential for life and still another reference website page is entitled Antimicrobial Copper. The increased use of copper is indicated not just for commercial or public buildings and outside public fixtures but throughout a home environment. Copper’s logical home uses are actually plentiful including in the bathrooms and in a copper kitchen. You can enjoy copper’s aesthetic appearance throughout your home, while also enjoying copper’s natural health benefits given it’s proven germicidal and antimicrobial power.
The need to prevent the spread of germs has always been a major concern. Research indicates that a copper surface is more effective at preventing the spread of germs than stainless steel. Copper has a 2000 year history of antimicrobial applications in a multitude of cultures. More recent research has sought to determine uncoated copper’s effectiveness in stemming the proliferation of infectious disease. At the University of Southampton in the U.K. research studies have shown that many common disease causing microbes such as E. coli, Aspergillus niger (black mold) and Influenza A, die within hours on copper surfaces. The Influenza A family of viruses includes the problematic Avian flu and swine flu strains and copper can help contain a flu. Even deadly antibiotic resistant bacteria associated with infections such as MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) die within 1.5 hours on pure copper. On stainless steel and plastics, typically used for food-processing hardware, pathogens survived unabated for days, sometimes more than 30 days. There is enough solid evidence to put man’s oldest metal to work throughout the world to help protect us from infectious disease. Tested copper alloys, such as brass or bronze also offer increased protection versus non-copper containing materials such as stainless steel, wood and plastics, although not nearly as effective as pure copper surfaces.
Some fairly common and obvious uses in the home for copper products include copper kitchen sinks, bathroom copper sinks, copper bar sinks, food prep sinks, copper basin, copper vanity sinks, copper door knobs, copper handles, copper range hoods, copper planters, copper pot racks, copper bowls, copper sheeting or tiles for countertops and sink backsplashes, copper wall plates and switches, copper light canopies, copper ceiling fans, copper cookware, etc. There are germ killing copper facades available for refrigerators, dishwashers, freezers, ovens, ice-makers and ranges. There are copper-plated kitchen appliances, copper vases, copper sculptures, copper accent pieces, even copper flowers, etc.
The Rutland Copper Gutter Supply & Architectural Copper Work website can illustrate many of these household copper and copper kitchen items for you. We will likely be seeing many more products utilizing copper surfaces in the future, including laptops, keyboards, tabletops and countertops, door and cabinet handles, doors, servers and serving trays, arms on chairs and other furniture, cases of phones and cameras, etc. and the possibilities are countless and endless. Luckily there is still a large supply of copper left to be mined and processed and as copper is easily and near 100% recyclable and is long lasting, it is also sustainable and an excellent green building option..
Copper is also a key nutrient in our diet and has other medicinal possibilities. For valuable and detailed health information regarding the necessity of copper in the human diet and medicinal purposes, I recommend starting out with these two excellent webpages on these relevant subjects: Copper and Human Health and Copper in Human Health
Architectural Copper Work 