Review of copper and copper alloys as immune and antibacterial element
(1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China;
2. Teaching and Research Section of Clinical Nursing, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China;
3. Department of Otolaryngology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China)
2. Teaching and Research Section of Clinical Nursing, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China;
3. Department of Otolaryngology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China)
Abstract: This review discussed the relationship among copper, human, and bacteria. Copper plays an important role in human immunity. Copper can boost human immune defense reactions at recommended intake level. The content mainly focused on copper antibacterial activity and copper antibacterial mechanisms. Conclusions stated that copper antibacterial activity is affected by copper homeostasis mechanisms in bacteria, adhesion, humidity, strain specificity, and manufacturing methods of antibacterial agents. For the preparation of particle antibacterial agents and surface antibacterial agents, this review discussed several manufacturing methods, such as sol-gel, cold spray, and biosynthesis belonging to chemical synthesis, physical synthesis, and biological synthesis, respectively. Sol-gel method contributes to the preparation of particle agents and surface agents. Cold spray technique is utilized in synthesis of surface copper agent. Biosynthesis is a novel technology which can be applied in nanoparticle agent preparation.
Key words: immunity; toxicity; antibacterial activity; copper homeostasis; adhesion; humidity; strain specificity; antibacterial agents; mechanisms