Anti Microbial Project

Copper Touch Surfaces in Healthcare Facilities - Naturally Antimicrobial Recent and ongoing research by Professor Bill Keevil and Dr Jonathan Noyce at the University of Southampton has shown that copper surfaces inactivate disease-causing germs in as little as 90 minutes. Studies have clearly demonstrated such an antimicrobial effect on a range of microbes including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), E. coli O157, Listeria monocytogenes and other hospital-acquired infections.

This natural hygienic property makes copper and its alloys, e.g. brass, ideal for hospital touch surfaces such as door handles, push plates, light switches, bed rails, intravenous poles, drug trolleys, counter and table tops and hand rails. These touch surfaces are all potential reservoirs of infection, and reducing the number of live germs on these surfaces could help in controlling the spread of MRSA and other hospital-acquired infections.

Figure 1 shows that on copper surfaces MRSA survival was limited to just 1.5 hours. The brass surface showed a significant reduction in live bacteria after 3 hours with complete inviability after 4.5 hours. The copper-nickelzinc showed significant and continuing reduction in live bacteria after 4.5 hours. Survival time on stainless steel continued beyond 72 hours.

Survival times of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on three copper alloys and stainless steel at room temperature:

Copper - commercially pure 99% copper
Brass - 80% copper, 20% zinc
Copper-nickel-zinc - 55% copper, 27% zinc, 18% nickel
Stainless steel - 18% chromium, 9.5% nickel

The result of this experiment led the research team to conclude that the contemporary use of stainless steel for work surfaces and door furniture in hospital environments is potentially exacerbating an already critical situation with regards to MRSA transmission and infection. Noyce advised hospitals to switch materials from stainless steel to copper alloys in critical care areas where patients are at greatest risk of being infected