Investigations into the Efficacy of Copper-Based Antimicrobial Agents and a Comparison with that of Silver

Abstract

Bacterial infections are a leading cause of health complications around the world. Metallic antimicrobial agents have shown to be effective in killing bacteria and preventing their proliferation. While silver is the traditional metal used for these purposes, a growing body of evidence suggests that copper-based agents can be more effective than silver-based agents. This paper investigates how effective wound dressings and urethane-based coatings containing copper antimicrobial agent are in deterring the growth of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as to compare these results to those of silver-based antimicrobials. Surface tests as well as solution-based testing showed that cuprous agents are more effective bactericidal agents than silver and undergo less diffusion from the delivery site, indicating it to be superior to silver for treatment and prevention of bacterial infections.