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| Drinking Water |
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-> Results of Laboratory Experiments
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| Results of Laboratory Experiments |
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  Copper
plumbing tube has a unique ability to reduce the threat of disease
from opportunistic waterborne pathogens. Controlled laboratory tests
demonstrate that certain viruses and bacteria, such as the Polio virus,
E-coli O157, and Legionella pneumophilia, which causes Legionnaire's
Disease, are inhibited by copper plumbing tube.
In test samples, 97% of Polio virus type 1 and 96% of Polio virus
type 2 were reduced by passage through "aged" copper plumbing tube.
In new copper plumbing tube, 80% of Polio virus type 2 was removed
within 3 hours. The virus was completely eliminated within 24 hours.
The same experiments also demonstrate that it does not take high concentrations
of copper in water to reduce the viruses. In circumstances simulating
overnight stagnation in copper pipes, only 0.6 mg of copper per liter
was leached to the water, a level significantly below WHO guidelines.
This suggests a significant public health benefit from the use of
copper plumbing tube, as well as an added benefit from the overnight
retention of drinking water in copper plumbing - without the risk
of ingesting excess copper.
Prior studies have demonstrated this antimicrobial behavior of copper
and the inhibitory effect of copper plumbing tube on bacteria and
viruses. It has been demonstrated that copper plumbing tube inhibits
the growth of Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacteriophage
MS2, which can cause gastrointestinal disturbance. In all cases, these
beneficial effects were registered in tap water containing copper
concentrations that were well below drinking water guidelines. |
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