The antimicrobial effects of copper in drinking water: Use of copper as an antimicrobial agent in reducing the risk of water-borne disease

Dr. Riti Sharan graduated in Microbiology from Bangalore University, India in 2005. Following this, she completed her Masters in Medical Microbiology from Panjab University, India in 2007. She completed her PhD in Applied and Medical Microbiology from Central Queensland University, Australia in 2011.

The results of the present study highlight the significance of using copper as an antibacterial agent against common water-borne pathogens in reducing the risk of incidence of infections from contaminated water. The study highlights the effects of water quality variables such as temperature, pH, presence of inorganic ions and organic matter on antimicrobial effectiveness and availability of copper, measured by analytical studies to establish the amount of dissolved copper in water stored in copper vessels, studies a wide range of organisms, establishes reactive oxygen species (ROS) sensitivity of the pathogens on selective and non selective culture media, investigates practical approaches to copper usage such as copper wire, copper-coated jugs, copper discs used in earthenware vessels and stainless steel vessels with electroplated copper interiors and establishes the infectivity of copper-treated bacteria, using an animal model of enteric fever and elucidating the pathogenicity in normal healthy mice.