cop iswell documentedfor its impressive antibacterial property . EvenAncient Egyptiansused bronze filings ( an alloy of fuzz and tin can ) from their freshly sharpened blade to treat their wound . Although we do n’t carry around bronze swords any longer , we do still have copper - containing objects in our notecase : coins .
Money is probably one of the most oft handle day-by-day target , and it is thought could be involved in the transmission of pathogen . To document copper ’s antimicrobial power , particularly in relation to other material body of money , Professor Johannes Knobloch and colleagues , from the University Medical Center Hamburg - Eppendorf , Germany , late carried out tests that showed European greenback are more easily foul by microbes than coins . However , the researchers were quick to point out that this did not wholly stop coins from harboring some bacteria , and remain a likely source of contamination after 24 hours .
For the study , the researchers contaminated three denominations of euro coin ( 5 cent , 50 cent,€1 ) containing at least 75 percent of Cu and one appellative of banknote ( € 5 ) made of cotton plant fiber , with one of two well known infection - causing bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureusandEnterococcus faecium ) . Ceramic tile were also contaminate , so as to be used as a control surface . After contamination , the airfoil were stash away for 24 hours before the number of bacterial cells were numerate again .
From nine independent experiments ( four usingE. faeciumand five usingS. aureus ) , the researchers noted that after 24 hours the banknotes and control control surface display similar bacterial cell counts . On the coins , however , after the 24 - hr catamenia , S. aureuswas slenderize by between 98.7 and 99.5 per centum ( dependent on coin type ) andE. faeciumby 96.8 to 99.0 percent .
“ In dividing line to a 5 euro banknote , copper - containing coins display a detectable antimicrobial action , ” the authors conclude in theirstudy . “ However , in most experiments , bacterium were not completely eliminated from the coins . Therefore , even coins might act as vectors for the transmission of microbes . ”
As the inquiry was due to be present at the European Congress on Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases ( ECCMID ) , which has been delete due to the Covid-19 pandemic , the written report has yet to be peer - reviewed . Therefore , as some detail of the study are not to the full addressed , such as how the bit of bacteria find on coins compare to the ascendance aerofoil , other scientistsrecommendthat the finding should be construe with circumspection .
One point that should be accent about this bailiwick , is that the microorganism used for contamination werebacteria , notviruses . Thus , with regard to the SARS - CoV-2 computer virus , which get COVID-19 , the finding can not be now prolong .
“ A very important ( non - statistical ) point at the present time is that the micro - organism involved were two different bacterium , and not a computer virus , so the findings tell us nothing virtual about how a computer virus such as SARS - CoV-2 might survive on coins or bill , ” Kevin McConway , an Emeritus Professor of Applied Statistics , at The Open University , who was not demand in the enquiry , said .
A separate subject field , published last calendar month inThe New England Journal of Medicine , did detect that the novel coronavirus wasstill detectable on copperup to four time of day after being pollute .
" If you ’re touching items that someone else has of late treat , be mindful they could be foul and wash your hands , ” James Lloyd - Smith , carbon monoxide - writer of the NEJM study and UCLA prof of ecology and evolutionary biology , articulate .
