Influence of copper-alloying of austenitic stainless steel on multi-species biofilm development

Abstract

Aims: To investigate the bactericidal in¯uence of copper-alloying of stainless steel on microbial colonization. Methods and Results: Inhibition of bacterial adherence was investigated by monitoring (192 h) the development of a multi-species bio®lm on Cu-alloyed (3á72 wt%) stainless steel in a natural surface water. During the ®rst 120 h of exposure, lower numbers of viable bacteria in the water in contact with copper-containing steel relative to ordinary stainless steel were observed. Moreover, during the ®rst 48 h of exposure, lower colony counts were found in the bio®lm adhering to the Cu-alloyed steel. No lower colony or viable counts were found throughout the remainder of the experimental period. Conclusions: The presence of Cu in the steel matrix impedes the adhesion of micro-organisms during an initial period (48 h), while this bactericidal effect disappears after longer incubation periods. Signi®cance and Impact of the Study: The application of Cu-alloyed stainless steels for bactericidal purposes should be restricted to regularly-cleaned surfaces.

Contribution of Copper Ion Resistance to Survival of Escherichia coli on Metallic Copper Surfaces

“…To what extent cellular copper resistance mechanisms take part in survival is not known for either copper water-pipe systems or short-term exposure of buffer-diluted cells on copper and its alloys. Frequently, however, copper-resistant microorganisms can be isolated from copper piping (6) and other water-exposed copper surfaces (15) where stable biofilms develop. Inadvertently, heterotrophic bacteria isolated from copper plumbing biofilms, such as Acidovorax delafieldii, Flavobacterium sp., Corynebacterium sp., Pseudomonas sp., and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, were also found to be capable of cuprosolvency (6).…”

Inactivation of Escherichia coli and coliform bacteria in traditional brass and earthernware water storage vessels

“…Jonas 1989) and their biocidal properties has been exploited for control purposes, e.g. copper has been used against microbial biofilms (Kielemoes and Verstraete 2001), while the antimicrobial effects of silver have been rediscovered more recently in water treatment (Pedazhur et al 1997). However, the influence of oxygen status on the enumeration of metalstressed microbes does not appear to have been considered in earlier studies.…”

Antibacterial Properties of Metallic Elements for Alloying Evaluated with Application of JIS Z 2801:2000

“…There is a few alloys aiming to increase antibacterial property. [1][2][3] Recently, various disasters induced by bacteria have been reported. In a hospital, for example, hand-washing solution storage tanks were contaminated by bacteria forming biofilms, and the contamination resulted in hospital infection.…”