Antimicrobial Activity and Characterization of a Validated Copper-Complexed Polymer Tape for Surface Disinfectant Applications.

Background

Surface contamination in healthcare environments plays a key role in the persistence and transmission of microorganisms. Long-lasting antimicrobial coatings based on copper-polymer complexes offer a promising passive strategy to minimize environmental contamination and healthcare-associated infections.

Methods

This study evaluated a copper-alloy polymeric tape through physicochemical, in vitro, and hospital-based assessments. Structural analyses (XRD, Raman, SEM, EDX) were used to characterize the material, while antimicrobial efficacy was determined against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria following ISO 22196:2011. A randomized 19-week clinical study was conducted in the Emergency and Urgent Unit of the University Hospital of Brasília to quantify microbial loads on high-touch surfaces covered with the copper-alloy tape or a non-antimicrobial control.

Results

Structural characterization techniques validated the integrity and heterogeneous distribution of copper within the polymeric matrix. All tested bacterial strains exhibited complete growth inhibition on the copper-alloy tape, with final counts consistently below the detection threshold (<1.00 log10 CFU/mL). Human keratinocytes analyzed by SEM showed preserved morphology. In hospital conditions, treated surfaces maintained significantly lower microbial loads than controls over 19 weeks. The number of yeast-positive samples was small compared to the total number of samples collected during the study, but Candida parapsilosis was the most frequently identified species.

Conclusions

These findings support its use as a sustainable intervention to reduce environmental contamination and infection risks in healthcare settings.