Michigan Technological University (MTU) researcher Jaroslaw Drelich has developed a new copper-based antimicrobial compound which can make the food supply safer.
Drelich, a professor of materials science and engineering, has developed a new method to embed nanoparticles of copper into vermiculite, an inert compound which is sometimes used in potting soil.
Preliminary tests showed that the new antimicrobial compound eliminated about 100% of E. coli bacteria in local lake water . The compound was also effective in destroying Staphylococcus aureus, a common staph bacteria.
Results from other studies revealed that copper is toxic to Listeria, Salmonella and the antibiotic-resistant bacteria MRSA.
Drelich stated that although copper is toxic to viruses and fungi, if it were incorporated into food packaging materials it could help prevent a variety of foodborne illnesses.
As copper-vermiculite material integrates well with other materials such as cardboard and plastic, it could be used in packing beads, boxes and cellulose-based egg cartons.
It could be used to treat drinking water, industrial effluent, sewage and can also be embedded in products used in public places where disease transmission is a concern.
Drelich is working with the MTU's SmartZone to commercialize the product through his business, Micro Techno Solutions.
