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Storing Drinking-Water in Copper Pots Kills Contaminating Bacteria (2012)

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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Re: Storing Drinking-Water in Copper Pots Kills Contaminating Bacteria (2012)

#41

Post by Mtinie »

jessaustin wrote: post #35
Filligree wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with copper is, it's toxic to more or less everything. No, it isn't as bad as lead, and humans tolerate it far better than most organisms, but I'd still rather not ingest it.

The best treatment for wood exposed to the elements is copper-based. In USA, however, the requirements for treatment facilities have grown more and more onerous, so that it's fairly impossible to find such wood anymore.

You might be thinking of CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate). It's still in use but harder to find vs. forumations that don't use arsenic.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromated_copper_arsenate

Re: Storing Drinking-Water in Copper Pots Kills Contaminating Bacteria (2012)

#43

Post by comicjk »

vram22 wrote: post #37

Using copper vessels to store water for drinking is somewhat common in parts of India. Seen it in Maharashtra. Lead vessels were traditionally used (and may still be) to make certain dishes (like rasam, a watery lentil-based sour soup) in South India. No idea about any benefits or the reverse. Update: Also, I've seen relatives of the previous generation to mine (in India), sometimes eating from silver plates. Not sur…

Cooking sour liquids in lead vessels makes them sweeter - but not in a way you want. The lead reacts with acetic acid to make lead acetate, "sugar of lead." The Romans used this method to sweeten sour wine. It's the oldest artificial sweetener, and the oldest dietary source of lead poisoning.

Re: Storing Drinking-Water in Copper Pots Kills Contaminating Bacteria (2012)

#44

Post by zxv »

ComputerGuru wrote: post #28

Silver is also known to have antibacterial/antimicrobial properties and is used both as a coating on handles, surfaces to prevent bacterial buildup and also in typical creams as an antibacterial option (however, I do believe a recent study showed it to be no better than a control when applied topically to burns, which is/was one of its primary uses). Both copper and silver oxidize unpleasantly very quickly, though.

Silver sulfadiazine 1% cream is a highly effective antibiotic for preventing infections in deep burns.

In my experience, while while the wound is open, this was the only cream that had no skin reactions, and that made it far easier keep it on 24/7. The cream kept air out, greatly reduced pain. Eliminating infection allowed more rapid healing.

I don't know whether it's prescribed today, but it was the only cream that was effective at both reducing pain, and speeding healing.

Re: Storing Drinking-Water in Copper Pots Kills Contaminating Bacteria (2012)

#45

Post by mirimir »

vram22 wrote: post #37

Using copper vessels to store water for drinking is somewhat common in parts of India. Seen it in Maharashtra. Lead vessels were traditionally used (and may still be) to make certain dishes (like rasam, a watery lentil-based sour soup) in South India. No idea about any benefits or the reverse. Update: Also, I've seen relatives of the previous generation to mine (in India), sometimes eating from silver plates. Not sur…

For rasam, it's tin, not lead.

But lead has sometimes traditionally been used in cooking etc, because many lead salts are sweet :( That's why children chew on flakes of leaded paint. They're like candy :(

Re: Storing Drinking-Water in Copper Pots Kills Contaminating Bacteria (2012)

#46

Post by Red_Tarsius »

vram22 wrote: post #37

Using copper vessels to store water for drinking is somewhat common in parts of India. Seen it in Maharashtra. Lead vessels were traditionally used (and may still be) to make certain dishes (like rasam, a watery lentil-based sour soup) in South India. No idea about any benefits or the reverse. Update: Also, I've seen relatives of the previous generation to mine (in India), sometimes eating from silver plates. Not sur…

Varg Vikernes (author of Burzum) mentioned that European barbarians used to clean water by letting it stand in a copper vessel over night. The custom of throwing coins into sources or wells might come from this pagan tradition.

Re: Storing Drinking-Water in Copper Pots Kills Contaminating Bacteria (2012)

#47

Post by samstave »

I have a copper water bottle that I bought online from India:

https://i.imgur.com/3k2QBQI.jpg

I love the thing, and I was drinking water out of it...

But one time I put alcohol in it... and I took a few sips from it and I almost immediately started feeling nauseous and weird... now I'm scared to use it, even for water.

Re: Storing Drinking-Water in Copper Pots Kills Contaminating Bacteria (2012)

#48

Post by redm »

Because of copper's antibacterial properties, I investigated putting copper sink faucets in my house remodel. While it's true that it works well initially, over item film builds up on the surface preventing the benefits. You have to clean them constantly to get the benefit.

Re: Storing Drinking-Water in Copper Pots Kills Contaminating Bacteria (2012)

#49

Post by comicjk »

rainbowmverse wrote: post #39
jessaustin wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The best treatment for wood exposed to the elements is copper-based. In USA, however, the requirements for treatment facilities have grown more and more onerous, so that it's fairly impossible to find such wood anymore.

I treat regulations the same way I treat what seem to be illogical programming/engineering solutions. If I don't understand the problem well enough to know why the regulation/solution is the way it is, I have no business commenting on it until I do.

Very good point. If you're interested, this principle has a catchy name: Chesterton's Fence.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Chesterton%27s_fence

Re: Storing Drinking-Water in Copper Pots Kills Contaminating Bacteria (2012)

#50

Post by blacksmith_tb »

jschwartzi wrote: post #42

So could we also make door handles out of copper, or does it only work for water storage?

Yes, some hospitals use copper plated surfaces with good results: http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE76031820110701
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