Copper fabrics in action:  copper impregnated filters  with potent biocidal activities Breathe-ezy   Travel Filters®   Courtesy GADI BORKOW1 and JEFFREY GABBAY                                          SPECIFIC AIMS                                                                                         Home       We hypothesized that introducing copper into many different types of products would provide them with biocidal qualities. Here we demonstrate the broad-spectrum anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-mite activities of fibers and polyester products permanently impregnated with copper and discuss the possible effect of these products on central public health concerns. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS 1. Bactericidal, anti-fungal, and acaricidal activity of fabrics containing copper-treated fibers The anti-bacterial effectiveness of untreated cotton fibers (referred to as control fabrics) and fabrics containing 20% (w/w) fibers impregnated with copper and 80% non-copper-treated cotton fibers (referred to as copper fabrics) on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli are shown in Fig. 1 a. Copper fabrics reduced by >2 logs the number of recoverable E. coli and S. aureus bacteria within 2 h of their being exposed to copper fabrics. The effect of two fabrics, one containing 20% copper fibers and one containing 100% copper fibers (w/w), were tested for acaricidal activity (Fig. 1c ). While all mites exposed to control fabrics were alive after 12 days, >60% and 100% of mites exposed to the 100% copper fabric were dead after 1 and 5 days, respectively. Approximately 50% of the mites exposed to the 20% copper fabrics died within 12 days of exposure to the fabrics. After 47 days of culture, 86% and 67% of the mites in the absence of any fabric and in the control fabric containers were alive whereas all mites exposed to the 20% copper fabric were dead. 2. Anti-viral activity of latex and polyester impregnated with copper Copper ions have been reported to inactivate HIV-1. We investigated whether our copper-impregnated latex would reduce HIV-1 infectivity. Indeed, HIV-1 infectivity was reduced in a dose-dependent manner when HIV-1 was exposed to latex gloves containing increasing concentrations of copper (Fig. 2 a). HIV-1 is transmitted through body fluids (e.g., blood and mother’s milk). Accordingly, syringes filled with polyester fibers impregnated with copper were prepared to serve as "filters." As depicted for a representative experiment in Fig. 2b , filtration of medium containing Saquinavir-resistant HIV-1 through syringes containing copper polyester fibers resulted in >5 log reduction of the viral infectious titers. The filters deactivated all the T-tropic and M-tropic isolates, laboratory and clinical isolates, and nucleoside, non-nucleoside, and protease-resistant viral isolates tested. Similar results were obtained when West Nile virus (WNV) was filtered (Fig. 2c ). 3. Test for skin sensitization To determine whether extracts of the copper-impregnated fabrics have skin sensitizing properties, a Guinea Pig Maximization Test and a Rabbit Skin Irritation Test were conducted. None of the 10 guinea pigs or 3 rabbits exposed to extracts of copper fabrics showed allergic skin reactions or skin irritation as compared with intraspecific application of the extraction vehicle and when compared with the animals of the control group. None of the animals exhibited any other toxic effects or clinical signs resulting from the treatment with the extracts of the copper-impregnated fabrics.   Activated Carbon/copper/cellulose Personal Travel Filters. How do Personal Travel Filters protect your health when traveling                                                                                                            The NASA funded SATOP program has helped with the  development of these nasal filters. They have developed a unique and exciting solution to your problem dealing with viruses and airborne bacteria, The answer is Impregnated copper oxide material in tandem with activated carbon/cellulose filters..   This unique material does not just filter the virus it kills it on contact. The impregnated fabric is found both in the nasal travel filters sold on this website.                                                             SmartTravel filters  are Anti-virus, anti-bacterial, & anti-fungus.                                 Activated carbon (black layer) absorbs  gaseous odors, exhaust fumes, aero toxic syndrome fumes, aircraft toxic fumes,passive smoke and chemical vapours protecting your respiratory system.  Breathe-ezy   Travel Filters®         Impregnated copper oxide material (orange layer) kills airborne viruses and bacteria on contact strengthening the immune system and keeping you healthy.                  Cellulose (white layer) traps pollen spores, dust mites, house dust and minute airborne particles protecting you from allergens and allergies.                 Testing on these Travelfilters by independent labs have shown strong filtering abilities. Allergens that measure 7-10 microns are filtered at 90% efficiency with odors and fumes at 70% while viruses and airborne bacteria  as small as .1 micron are killed on contact. Designed by the Leading Minds in the Industry:   to give you personal protection from Airborne Viruses. NASA sponsors a program called SATOP and this program brought to our attention this particular Copper Impregnanted Fabric, You can trust in our Personal Travel filters to protect you. Breathe-ezy Personal Travel filters  Have a unique composite  HEPA structure of activated carbon/copper fabric and these two materials are considered to be the best for  filtering minute viruses odors and fumes. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE An inexpensive platform technology was developed that binds copper to textile fibers from which woven and unwoven fabrics can be produced. Copper may be integrated into latex and other polymeric products during manufacture. As demonstrated here, these copper-impregnated products possess broad-spectrum anti-microbial properties. This technology, for example, enables production of anti-viral gloves and copper nasal  filters (which inter alia deactivate HIV-1 and other viruses), anti-bacterial self-sterilizing fabrics (which kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including MRSA and VRE), anti-fungal socks (which alleviate symptoms of athlete’s foot), and anti-dust mite mattress-covers (which reduce mite-related allergies). Copper is considered safe to humans, as demonstrated by the widespread and prolonged use by women of copper intrauterine devices (IUDs). Very low risk of adverse skin reactions is associated with copper. Animal testing described above has demonstrated that copper fabrics do not possess skin-sensitizing properties. None of the 50 individuals who used socks containing copper-impregnated fibers reported any negative effects caused by the socks. n contrast to the low sensitivity of human tissue to copper, microorganisms are extremely susceptible to copper. Toxicity occurs through the displacement of essential metals from their native binding sites, from interference with oxidative phosphorylation and osmotic balance, and from alterations in the conformational structure of nucleic acids, membranes and proteins. . Another possible use of copper fabrics is related to allergies and asthma. It is estimated that 15% of the general population suffer from allergic disorders, of which allergic rhinitis is the most common. Dust mites are an important source of allergen for perennial rhinitis and asthmatic attacks. Thus, elimination of house dust mites in mattresses, quilts, carpets, and pillows would improve the quality of life of those suffering from dust mite-related allergies. . An important potential application of copper-impregnated materials is the reduction of bacterial and viral transmission during transfusion of blood or blood-related products. A growing number of viral, bacterial, and protozoa pathogens have been identified in blood products, and new pathogens are regularly identified as being present. In parts of the world where screening tests are too expensive to be performed regularly, a cheap, rapid virus inactivation filter would be extremely helpful. Accordingly, a filter that can inactivate a broad spectrum of viruses in blood products would be very valuable. The best complement you can pay us is to recommend us to a friend        Privacy Policy We  want you to Breathe easy without having to take medications which can produce ill side effects, Breathe-Ezy nasal filters are almost unnoticeable when in use, however they will give you superior protection to any other product on the market. 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee: If Breathe-Ezy Nasal Filters® don't perform to your expectations, simply advise our customer support office within 21 days and receive a full refund, or alternative credit on a future purchase.   Delivery normally takes 1 - 5 days Australian orders. International orders please allow 7 -  21 days  depending on where you live. Post and  shipping from  $2.95AUD Worldwide Copyright 2005-2012 Breathe-ezy Nasal Filters®. All rights reserved  Breathe-ezy Nasal Filters    ABN: 62 337 285 383    Putting copper fabric in action.

May 19, 2013 [ Email this page to a friend ]