Are copper flashlight anti-microbial?

Cooper lights smells bad! There i said it.

they do smell bad

Many copper flashlights are uncoated. I have 3, and all are uncoated.

Copper isn’t anodized, but some manufacturers might coat the copper with a layer of plastic. Something like Protectaclear. But most copper flashlights seem completely uncoated. You can tell these ones because they develop a patina like an old penny.

Copper is antimicrobial via the oligodynamic effect. But if you’re thinking you’ll clean your hands of coronavirus by fondling your copper flashlight in your pocket you should think again.

Covid-19 can survive for up to 4 hours on copper. This is shorter than the 3 days or so on steel or aluminum, but clearly longer than is practical for most purposes.

Basically with an all-copper light, you can probably set it aside, come back 4 hours later and then reasonably assume that any Covid-19 on it is dead. Of course this only applies to the copper pieces though. Even lights made from copper have portions that are made from other materials where Covid-19 can survive longer (clip, lens, switchboot or button, etc.).

are you going to be lending your light to cv-19 patients, then taking it back to immediately use?

how often would this possibly be a problem?

SO UNLIKELY

if you expect the light to sanitize your own hands, get a grip! that will never happen. just wash them. or carry sanitizer

CV is more about drops and aerosols than hands anyway.

silver works even better, and it stick really good to copper during galvanization process. it should not be that hard to galvanize one with silver, should it?

yes some metals do have such property, but one should not expect to have his hands sanitized after holding one

the OP never said any such things, he asked for a list of copper lights and whether it is antibacterial

you have created a perfect Straw Man Argument
with the conclusion that he should wash his hands with soap

can you see how you sort of jumpted the fence there? :slight_smile:

He wants to know what flashlight to buy, and you told him to buy hand sanitizer?

now, think about this
if you can smell something on your hands after handling copper, then something IS actually happening

I call it the smell of dying germs… I dont like the smell, but I know its good for me… lol

copper is fun, its a noble metal, and in AAA there are some really cute options
the AA Copper tool is really nice too

I’m by no means a virologist, however as physician, perhaps I can clarify some concepts behind how some materials are considered superior to others in being “anti-microbial.” If you find any mistakes below, please let me know as I’m very open to learning new things.

According to this article, COVID-19 is theorized to be like other viruses in needing a certain infectious dose to cause disease, known as the ID50 number. This number is how many viruses are needed in one exposure to cause disease in 50% of exposed susceptible individuals. Therefore a single virus on any surface is highly unlikely to cause disease. Of course the more viruses, then there is an increase in likelihood of disease.

This article points to what researchers believe to be how copper kills microbes. And in the case of COVID-19, the preliminary research shows 4 hours of contact on a copper surface will reduce the number to non-detectable levels, or at least cannot be cultured. It may reduce the virus to below infectious doses before the 4 hour mark is reached. This killing process requires oxidation of copper (therefore coating to preserve the shine will greatly reduce efficacy), and increased humidity and heat can speed it up. (Good for those with sweaty hands?) And this applies to most if not all microbes, not just COVID-19.

So what does this mean for flashlights? Let’s say I use a titanium high CRI flashlight in the clinic to examine skin. Microbes on the titanium can survive longer and remain at an infectious dose for a longer period. If I use an uncoated copper flashlight, the infectious dose will remain viable for a shorter period of time, therefore reducing my chances of getting sick from contact. It’s a reduction in risk, not a guarantee.

Disease and infection are not binary, rather a process of logarithmic/exponential decreases and increases. I would prefer to carry a mildly stinky copper flashlight at work because it can reduce my chances of harboring harmful microbes on that one instrument. Of course, I would not rely upon that to increase safety. The primary measure would be wiping down all my instruments and hands with alcohol and/or washing my hands between every patient.

Sorry for the long-winded response, but I hope this might clarify the utility of copper.

I’m sold.

haha, good thread, thanks everyone. I’m interested in copper not so much as a hand washing replacement. But, you know how it’s nice to have an 18650 light that can also handle CR123A’s? It’s kinda like that. An extra feature that makes a light just nicer to own.

Edit: man, some of you have quite the collection.

While not fully related to flashlights, but related to copper, but I am not sure why it is not mentioned more often that various copper forms (one of which oxide, and many others) are used for a very long time as a contact fungicide on plants, maybe many do not have plants, maybe do have but use the more high-end substances that are patented by big companies that are system fungicides (thus more effective compared to contact), but surely this is something has been done for a very long time by so many people, including in our family.
So it’s proprieties are not as mythological as seen by some.

true, I think most people would not know that is what Bordeaux Mix is… they probably think it is a blended wine… lol

in any case
The Copper Tool is sold out on Drop.com
but there are presently a couple of them on the bay

somebody, please buy them, to save me from doing so :slight_smile:

those are older models, with mechanical clicky… that means they also work with 10440, unofficially. And there is no delay to charge an eSwitch, so the modes work immediately upon inserting a battery, as would be expected for most lights.

it also means they start on Medium, MLH, which is actually my personal preference…

there are other potential differences
some of the older drivers had better efficiency… you might get lucky if you buy this one… (im not affiliated, just tempted, so wanted to share)

it’s just a minor effect…

there is no way to depend on it for anything substantial

you would never touch a copper light for 5 seconds (or a minute), and assume it magically killed all the germs on your hands, for instance

wle

and you believe this because of what information?

Think about it:
If after rubbing your hands with a copper flashlight, you can smell something different on your hands… then yes… copper ions are now interacting with the surface of your skin

here is a product using that exact concept:

“The CopperTouch Bar can be carried in your pocket or your purse. It is an amazing invention that will take sanitizing to a whole new level. Caregivers will love the extra security knowing they are spreading fewer germs to residents, their families and themselves. Parents will be able to bring one to work, or send kids off to school with extra protection from bacteria that can make families sick. ”

I confess I rub my copper maratac on my hands

yeah i can smell something different.

how does that kill every germ on every part of your hand though?

it might kill a few but as i said, you can not depend it doing anything specific or guaranteed

“The CopperTouch Bar can be carried in your pocket or your purse. It is an amazing invention that will take sanitizing to a whole new level. Caregivers will love the extra security knowing they are spreading fewer germs to residents, their families and themselves. Parents will be able to bring one to work, or send kids off to school with extra protection from bacteria that can make families sick. “”

—what i smell here is ‘scam-ola’

wle

The biggest benefit I see is that copper doesn’t help spread germs.
Say you have some type of bad germs on your hands from touchng a public door handle.
You pull out your flashlight and use it for some reason.
You then clip it to your pocket and head home.
Once home you wash your hands and later pull out your flashlight and use it again.
Then the wife yells dinner time, you go eat and pass around the vittles were everyone is touching the same spoons to get their helpings.
You just washed your hands a few minutes earlier so you didn’t wash them again after touching the flashlight.
You just now spread those same germs that was on that public door handle to everyone at your table.
.
Now this is a widely exaggerated example but I see where the copper would be a benefit.
Knowing that copper kills germs like it does, I have never understood why a hospital or clinic doesn’t use copper or heavy guage copper plated door handles.

Thanks for exploring the question with me.

I agree that copper is not an instant hand sterilizer.

I still use safe practices including Hand Washing, and I use Hand Sanitizer too.

I suggest copper as a an interesting additional tool,
to reduce pathogen loads in our contact zones, and on the contact zones on our hands.

When I handle my copper flashlight, I am also making part of my skin more hostile to pathogens. And any contamination that is deposited on the copper light, will die overnight… so every morning… I have a sterile light to play with :slight_smile:

and about sanitizing water
river water stored overnight in a copper pot will have a lower incidence of amoeba, that cause dysintery. There are actually numerous articles online about using copper to sanitize drinking water. Part of the key to it working, is to provide long contact time, such as storing the water in a copper pot overnight

i guess

personally i think it ain’t worth the stink :slight_smile:

wle

fair enough :slight_smile:

I did not like the smell… but I changed my thinking

I now call it the smell of dead germs… lol

Copper flashlight germ protection is miniscule-starter.
Copper/brass doorknobs/pushbars/sinkhandles are another matter which should be incorporated into public contracts.