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Updated: Oct 22, 2025

Studying Copper Nanoparticle-Induced Programmed Cell Death in Bacteria
Published on: May 16, 2025
Nanostructured Copper Surface Kills ESKAPE Pathogens and Viruses in Minutes
Guangshun Yi1, Siti Nurhanna Riduan1, Arunmozhiarasi Armugam1
1Institute of Bioengineering and Bioimaging, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, Singapore, 138669.
Abstract:
In the search for a fast contact-killing antimicrobial surface to break the transmission pathway of lethal pathogens, nanostructured copper surfaces were found to exhibit the desired antimicrobial properties. Compared with plain copper, these nanostructured copper surfaces with Cu(OH)2 nano-sword or CuO nano-foam were found to completely eliminate pathogens at a fast rate, including clinically isolated drug resistant species. Additionally these nanostructured copper surfaces demonstrated potential antiviral properties when assessed against bacteriophages, as a viral surrogate, and murine hepatitis virus, a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2. The multiple modes of killing, physical killing and copper ion mediated killing contribute to the superior and fast kinetics of antimicrobial action against common microbes, and ESKAPE pathogens. Prototypes for air and water cleaning with current nanostructured copper surface have also been demonstrated.
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