Antimicrobial Activity and Characterization of a Validated Copper-Complexed Polymer Tape for Surface Disinfectant Applications

<b>Background</b>: Surface contamination in healthcare environments plays a key role in the persistence and transmission of microorganisms. Long-lasting antimicrobial coatings based on copper-polymer complexes offer a promising passive strategy to minimize environmental contamination and healthcare-associated infections. <b>Methods</b>: This study evaluated a copper-alloy polymeric tape through physicochemical, <i>in vitro</i>, and hospital-based assessments. Structural analyses (XRD, Raman, SEM, EDX) were used to characterize the material, while antimicrobial efficacy was determined against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria following ISO 22196:2011. A randomized 19-week clinical study was conducted in the Emergency and Urgent Unit of the University Hospital of Brasília to quantify microbial loads on high-touch surfaces covered with the copper-alloy tape or a non-antimicrobial control. <b>Results</b>: Structural characterization techniques validated the integrity and heterogeneous distribution of copper within the polymeric matrix. All tested bacterial strains exhibited complete growth inhibition on the copper-alloy tape, with final counts consistently below the detection threshold (<1.00 log10 CFU/mL). Human keratinocytes analyzed by SEM showed preserved morphology. In hospital conditions, treated surfaces maintained significantly lower microbial loads than controls over 19 weeks. The number of yeast-positive samples was small compared to the total number of samples collected during the study, but <i>Candida parapsilosis</i> was the most frequently identified species. <b>Conclusions</b>: These findings support its use as a sustainable intervention to reduce environmental contamination and infection risks in healthcare settings.