An improved proposal for using laminar copper as a biocidal material in touch surfaces in a hospital Intensive Care...

The use of copper for reducing nosocomial infections or healthcare-acquired infections (HAI) has been carried out in intensive care units (ICU) by replacing some objects generally made of stainless steel or other materials with solid pieces of copper. The authors' proposal for a sustainable use of copper consists of introducing it in a "lamina + adhesive" format. This proposal has been tested in an ICU at the Ceuta Hospital in Spain. It has been found to provide an equally efficient solution as antibacterial material than the usual "solid" format, but with only a layer of 50 microns of copper, which is a high-cost and limited resource. After that intervention, some improvements are also proposed: a standardization of the pieces chosen to cover with a lamina of copper for saving material; and another method of replacement aiming to lower the time that the ICU cannot be used. To ensure that the proposed bonding method is harmless to human health and the adhesive does not interfere with the indoor environment by releasing toxic chemicals, the "lamina + adhesive" sheet has been further tested. The results and proposals are briefly shown.