Metallic copper as an antimicrobial surface
Open accessAbstract
Bacteria, yeasts, and viruses are rapidly killed on metallic copper surfaces, and the term "contact killing" has been coined for this process. While the phenomenon was already known in ancient times, it is currently receiving renewed attention. This is due to the potential use of copper as an antibacterial material in health care settings. Contact killing was observed to take place at a rate of at least 7 to 8 logs per hour, and no live microorganisms were generally recovered from copper surfaces after prolonged incubation. The antimicrobial activity of copper and copper alloys is now well established, and copper has recently been registered at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the first solid antimicrobial material. In several clinical studies, copper has been evaluated for use on touch surfaces, such as door handles, bathroom fixtures, or bed rails, in attempts to curb nosocomial infections. In connection to these new applications of copper, it is important to understand the mechanism of contact killing since it may bear on central issues, such as the possibility of the emergence and spread of resistant organisms, cleaning procedures, and questions of material and object engineering. Recent work has shed light on mechanistic aspects of contact killing. These findings will be reviewed here and juxtaposed with the toxicity mechanisms of ionic copper. The merit of copper as a hygienic material in hospitals and related settings will also be discussed.
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Copper exhibits a wide range of antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi and viruses.
“Copper also exhibits a wide range of antimicrobial activity, including that against Gram-positive (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Clostridium difficile and Listeria monocytogenes) and Gram-negative (e.g., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae) bacteria, fungi (Candida albicans and Aspergillus brasiliensis) and viruses (adenovirus, norovirus and Pol”
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- Authors
- Grass, G., Rensing, C., & Solioz, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln (US)
- University of Arizona (US)
- University of Bern (CH)
- Corresponding author
- Solioz, Marc
- Venue
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology
- Publisher
- American Society for Microbiology
- Published
- 2011-03
- Volume
- 77
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1541-1547
- ISSN
- 0099-2240 (ISSN-L)
- 1098-5336
- PMC
- PMC3067274
- OpenAlex
- W2103629556
- Cited by
- 1,640
- References
- 45
- Citations by year
- 2026: 99 · 2025: 123 · 2024: 141 · 2023: 163 · 2022: 158 · 2021: 167 · 2020: 168 · 2019: 134 · 2018: 96 · 2017: 83 · 2016: 96 · 2015: 70 · 2014: 57 · 2013: 33 · 2012: 34
- FWCI
- 1.39
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- BORIS (University Library Bern) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Foundation for the National Institutes of Health
- Medical University of South Carolina
- International Copper Association
- University of South Africa
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences (GM 079192, R01GM079192)
- National Center for Research Resources (P20RR017675)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Organic Chemistry › Antimicrobial agents and applications
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Infection Control in Healthcare
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Nanoparticles: synthesis and applications
- Keywords
- copper, contact killing, antimicrobial surfaces, copper alloys, nosocomial infections, hospital hygiene, bacterial inactivation, surface disinfection
- MeSH terms
- Anti-Infective Agents, Bacteria, Copper, Cross Infection, Disinfection, Equipment and Supplies, Fungi, United States, Viruses, Infection Control
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