Killer copper may be just what the doctor ordered

摘要

In March, copper alloys, including brass and bronze, became the first metal ever to be granted approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for registration as an antimicrobial agent. This took the red metal beyond its role as a corrosion-resistant electrical and thermal conductor, offering producers and fabricators new market opportunities. Registrations of this nature were once granted only to substances such as liquids, aerosols and gases as sanitizers and disinfectants, according to the New York-based Copper Development Association (CDA).