how does copper kill pathogens?
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Copper is a metal. When metal reacts with water – either in liquid form or through air moisture – it oxidizes. We call this “rusting” when it applies to metals. The first kill mechanism is this rusting, when the process of creating rust molecules, copper pulls electrons from the membrane of the bacteria’s cell wall lipids, oxygen or proteins. Oxidizing copper atoms weaken the bacteria when they pull these electrons from the atoms that make up the cell wall. Just like pulling bricks from a wall, eventually the cell wall breaks, killing the bacteria.
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