Federal Funding Targets Antimicrobial Properties of Copper Metal

Congress has awarded funds to the Copper Development Association for studies to determine the antimicrobial effectiveness of copper, brass and bronze. One study will focus on the ability of copper metals to kill deadly pathogens on touch surfaces in hospital facilities in New York City and Charleston, S.C. The other will focus on the effectiveness of copper components in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that infections acquired in U.S. hospitals affect 2 million individuals every year, resulting in nearly 100,000 deaths annually and costing $30 billion.

Microbial growth on common touch surfaces is a growing concern to health care facilities. The touch surfaces study will employ a series of three clinical trials to determine how well natural copper, brass, and bronze surfaces mitigate infectious microbes, decrease cross-contamination and help reduce the incidence of hospital-acquired infections in patients.

A congressionally funded companion study will compare copper air-conditioning system components — including cooling coils, heat exchange fins, and drip pans — with components made of aluminum as to their ability to control the growth of harmful bacteria and fungi. The trials are designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of copper surfaces in reducing the colonization of HVAC systems by harmful microbes and reducing exposure to these organisms throughout the buildings served by the systems.

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