An electrochemical process developed at Georgia Tech could offer new protection against bacterial infections without contributing to growing antibiotic resistance.
The approach capitalizes on the natural antibacterial properties of copper and creates incredibly small needle-like structures on the surface of stainless steel to kill harmful bacteria like E. coli and Staphylococcus. It’s convenient and inexpensive, and it could reduce the need for chemicals and antibiotics in hospitals, kitchens, and other settings where surface contamination can lead to serious illness.
It also could save lives: A global study of drug-resistant infections found they directly killed 1.27 million people in 2019 and contributed to nearly 5 million other deaths—making these infections one of the leading causes of death for every age group.
Researchers described the copper-stainless steel and its effectiveness May 20 in the journal Small.
“Killing Gram-positive bacteria without chemicals is comparatively easy but tackling Gram-negative bacteria poses a significant challenge, due to their thick, multilayered cell membrane. And if these bacteria persist on surfaces, they can grow rapidly,” said Anuja Tripathi, the study’s lead author and a postdoctoral scholar in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. “I aimed to develop an antibiotic-free bactericidal surface effective against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.”
Tripathi and her colleagues—William R. McLain Professor Julie Champion and former Ph.D. students Jaeyoung Park and Thomas Pho—produced a one-two punch that overcomes those challenges and doesn’t help bacteria develop resistance to drugs.
The team first developed an electrochemical method to etch the surface of stainless steel, creating nano-sized needle-like structures on the surface that can puncture bacteria’s cell membranes. Then, with a second electrochemical process, the researchers deposited copper ions on the steel’s surface.
Copper interacts with the cell membranes and ultimately compromises them.
“The nanotextured stainless steel can kill both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, but we wanted to enhance the antibacterial activity for surfaces that can be highly contaminated,” Tripathi said. “The copper coating on the nanotextured stainless steel gave us very high antibacterial activity.”
and c,e) nanotextured stainless steel etched for 30 s at 8 V. Credit: Small (2024). DOI: 10.1002/smll.202311546
Despite copper’s known antibacterial properties, it’s not widely used to fight surface contamination because it’s expensive. Tripathi’s approach deposits only a thin layer of copper ions on the stainless steel, so it’s cost-effective without compromising the material’s antibacterial activity.
Together, the dual attacks resulted in 97% reduction of Gram-negative E. coli and 99% reduction in Gram-positive Staphylococcus epidermis bacteria in the group’s study.
Tripathi said the stainless steel could be used for common tools in medical settings that are easily fouled, such as scissors or tweezers. It could be used for door handles, stair railings, and perhaps even sinks—places where stainless steel is often the material of choice and surface bacteria are common, especially in hospitals or other shared settings.
The process she and her colleagues developed also could be useful in food service. Tripathi said the approach could be fairly easily incorporated into existing industrial processes, where different electrochemical coating methods already are used for stainless steel food storage containers.
Tripathi said future work will investigate if the copper-coated, nanotextured stainless steel is effective against other kinds of cells harmful to human health. She’s also interested in exploring whether the steel could be used for medical implants to help ward off infections.
Since it proved effective against troublesome E. coli, she’s hopeful.
“Reflecting on a recent E. coli outbreak in grocery stores in Calgary, Canada, I was particularly driven in my research, recognizing the urgent relevance and significance of combating such resilient bacteria on surfaces,” Tripathi said. “They can be difficult to eliminate. So, if we can effectively eliminate E. coli, we stand a good chance of eradicating many bacteria on surfaces.”
More information: Anuja Tripathi et al, Dual Antibacterial Properties of Copper‐Coated Nanotextured Stainless Steel, Small (2024). DOI: 10.1002/smll.202311546
Journal information: Small
Provided by Georgia Institute of Technology
News
New book from NanoappsMedical Inc – Molecular Manufacturing: The Future of Nanomedicine
This book explores the revolutionary potential of atomically precise manufacturing technologies to transform global healthcare, as well as practically every other sector across society. This forward-thinking volume examines how envisaged Factory@Home systems might enable the cost-effective [...]
A Virus Designed in the Lab Could Help Defeat Antibiotic Resistance
Scientists can now design bacteria-killing viruses from DNA, opening a faster path to fighting superbugs. Bacteriophages have been used as treatments for bacterial infections for more than a century. Interest in these viruses is rising [...]
Sleep Deprivation Triggers a Strange Brain Cleanup
When you don’t sleep enough, your brain may clean itself at the exact moment you need it to think. Most people recognize the sensation. After a night of inadequate sleep, staying focused becomes harder [...]
Lab-grown corticospinal neurons offer new models for ALS and spinal injuries
Researchers have developed a way to grow a highly specialized subset of brain nerve cells that are involved in motor neuron disease and damaged in spinal injuries. Their study, published today in eLife as the final [...]
Urgent warning over deadly ‘brain swelling’ virus amid fears it could spread globally
Airports across Asia have been put on high alert after India confirmed two cases of the deadly Nipah virus in the state of West Bengal over the past month. Thailand, Nepal and Vietnam are among the [...]
This Vaccine Stops Bird Flu Before It Reaches the Lungs
A new nasal spray vaccine could stop bird flu at the door — blocking infection, reducing spread, and helping head off the next pandemic. Since first appearing in the United States in 2014, H5N1 [...]
These two viruses may become the next public health threats, scientists say
Two emerging pathogens with animal origins—influenza D virus and canine coronavirus—have so far been quietly flying under the radar, but researchers warn conditions are ripe for the viruses to spread more widely among humans. [...]
COVID-19 viral fragments shown to target and kill specific immune cells
COVID-19 viral fragments shown to target and kill specific immune cells in UCLA-led study Clues about extreme cases and omicron’s effects come from a cross-disciplinary international research team New research shows that after the [...]
Smaller Than a Grain of Salt: Engineers Create the World’s Tiniest Wireless Brain Implant
A salt-grain-sized neural implant can record and transmit brain activity wirelessly for extended periods. Researchers at Cornell University, working with collaborators, have created an extremely small neural implant that can sit on a grain of [...]
Scientists Develop a New Way To See Inside the Human Body Using 3D Color Imaging
A newly developed imaging method blends ultrasound and photoacoustics to capture both tissue structure and blood-vessel function in 3D. By blending two powerful imaging methods, researchers from Caltech and USC have developed a new way to [...]
Brain waves could help paralyzed patients move again
People with spinal cord injuries often lose the ability to move their arms or legs. In many cases, the nerves in the limbs remain healthy, and the brain continues to function normally. The loss of [...]
Scientists Discover a New “Cleanup Hub” Inside the Human Brain
A newly identified lymphatic drainage pathway along the middle meningeal artery reveals how the human brain clears waste. How does the brain clear away waste? This task is handled by the brain’s lymphatic drainage [...]
New Drug Slashes Dangerous Blood Fats by Nearly 40% in First Human Trial
Scientists have found a way to fine-tune a central fat-control pathway in the liver, reducing harmful blood triglycerides while preserving beneficial cholesterol functions. When we eat, the body turns surplus calories into molecules called [...]
A Simple Brain Scan May Help Restore Movement After Paralysis
A brain cap and smart algorithms may one day help paralyzed patients turn thought into movement—no surgery required. People with spinal cord injuries often experience partial or complete loss of movement in their arms [...]
Plant Discovery Could Transform How Medicines Are Made
Scientists have uncovered an unexpected way plants make powerful chemicals, revealing hidden biological connections that could transform how medicines are discovered and produced. Plants produce protective chemicals called alkaloids as part of their natural [...]
Scientists Develop IV Therapy That Repairs the Brain After Stroke
New nanomaterial passes the blood-brain barrier to reduce damaging inflammation after the most common form of stroke. When someone experiences a stroke, doctors must quickly restore blood flow to the brain to prevent death. [...]
