Copper Reduces Bad Bacteria Transferred by Touch
Scientists are actively demonstrating the intrinsic efficacies of copper alloy “touch surfaces” to destroy a wide range of micro-organisms that threaten public health.
Scientists have accumulated substantial knowledge regarding the antimicrobial properties of copper alloy touch surfaces, including results of clinical trials conducted at hospitals around the world, resulting in registration by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of various different copper alloys as “antimicrobial materials” with public health benefits.
Copper has potent biocidal properties, meaning copper has the ability to eliminate bacteria from skin. Copper ions, either alone or in copper complexes, have been used for centuries to disinfect liquids, solids and human tissue.
Antimicrobial copper surfaces can reduce the number of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) by 58% as compared with touch surfaces that do not use copper, according to a new study.
Pure Copper Works Better Than Copper Alloys
The germ-killing power of copper alloys is correlated with the percent of copper in the alloy. The higher the copper content the better. Some of the EPA-registered alloys are as low as 60% copper. StayWell Copper Products are made from 99.9% pure solid copper, which is indicated to have the greatest power to kill bacteria and viruses.
Such pure copper is harder to machine and harder on tooling than copper mixed with other metals. We put in a lot of effort to overcome these problems, however, so we could use the most potent form of copper in StayWell Copper.
