Shocking Results: Investigating the Enhancing Effects of Direct Current on Copper’s Antimicrobial Properties with Applications in Self-Sterilizing Surface

Abstract

Metallic copper has been historically recognized for its antimicrobial properties(1). Recent research undermines copper’s use as a ‘self-sterilizing’ surface due to bacterial resistance to copper’s lysis mechanisms.  In response to this burgeoning resistance, we looked to find an innovative method to enhance copper’s antimicrobial effects, in order to reinstate copper as an effective self-sterilizing surface. Research suggests that copper lyses bacteria through a process called cationic lysis, where copper releases cations into its surrounding environment thereby disrupting cellular processes. We hypothesize that by applying a direct current to copper, we can amplify this effect. In order to test the effects of a direct electrical current through a piece of copper metal on the lysis of Escherichia coli ATCC 113303, we ran 9 milliamps of current through 3 by 4 cm copper plates for 15 minutes. We found there were significantly lower colony counts observed on copper plates with the added current compared to copper plates alone. This suggests that the administration of current can be an innovative and effective way to enhance copper’s lysis mechanisms.  The results indicate that current and copper can be used in conjunction to create a self-sterilizing surface that is significantly more effective than copper alone. This study proposes two novel ‘current-copper conjugate’ bacterial lysis mechanisms which attempt to interpret the reasons behind the observed results.

Keywords - Transmembrane Potential, Escherichia Coli ATCC 11303, Cationic Bacterial Lysis, Self-Sterilizing Surfaces, Antibacterial Resistance