Effectiveness of copper and emerging technologies against novel coronavirus

Coronavirus belongs to the novel virulent strains of respiratory viruses. It is an invisible enemy that is a significant threat to human health. The major problem in the spread of coronavirus is that transmission is not limited to human to human (by contact, fomites, and droplets), it can also be transmitted from contaminated surfaces to humans. These infectious viruses can survive in different non-biocidal materials for a long time. Copper holds a significant position in different biological and biochemical processes because its ions Cu⁺² and Cu⁺ can carry out oxidation, dioxygen transportation, and electron transference. It is a redox-active metal. It can convert into Cu⁺² or Cu⁺ state by accepting or donating electrons. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are generated on alloy surfaces. The redox reaction of copper (Cu⁺² ↔ Cu⁺) along with the generation of ROS results in enhanced inactivation of the virus. In this review, the effectiveness of copper against coronaviruses is explained. The denaturing of specific proteins of coronavirus by the interaction of copper and its ions has also been reported. Hence, copper coated surfaces can be used in public areas to inhibit the spread of the virus. Furthermore, the review represents the different techniques used for the coating of copper on conductive and non-conductive surfaces.