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Copper which destroys viruses in 60 seconds should be put into PPE, study finds
Scientists are confident that it is so "lethal" against pathogens that it will be unaffected by any future mutations in Covid-19
Copper which destroys viruses in 60 seconds should be put into personal protective equipment (PPE) to defend against Covid-19, a study has found.
Scientists from the USA set out to create PPE which is highly effective at killing pathogens and can also be used for prolonged periods, rather than being washed or thrown away after a single use.
They came up with a new copper configuration called ActiveCopper (aCu), which can kill viruses faster than ever before - in one minute or less. Most copper configurations need four hours to fully deactivate microbes.
aCu also maintains its antimicrobial powers over sustained use, whereas most copper configurations need to be regularly disinfected to maintain effectiveness.
Its unique properties include a very porous 'surfactant' layer which helps trap viral matter.
Scientists are confident that it is so "lethal" against pathogens that it will be unaffected by any future mutations in Covid-19 which could bypass traditional PPE.
"We believe that the material could offer broad spectrum, non-selective defense against most microbes via integration into masks and other protective equipment," the study states.
"The favorable results against multiple virus configurations suggest that aCu is broadly lethal against pathogens and is therefore unaffected by the possibility of future mutations.
"aCu’s non-selectivity coupled with its rapid deactivation window suggests viability as an additive to healthcare tools like privacy curtains, door handles and guard rails."
Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, said: "It’s been known for a long time that copper metals can kill bacteria and viruses and their use in healthcare settings has long been proposed as a way to reduce infections.
"My own personal experience of such metals in my own laboratory show that the claim that most copper surfaces take up to four hours to kill bacteria and viruses is not true; they are much more effective than that.
"However, the ActiveCopper that is described could have much greater utility in things like masks and other bits of PPE. To gain usage in the clinic, trials would need to demonstrate that it provided tangible infection control advantages over simple regular replacement of used PPE.”