by using copper alloys that look like marble or by embedding copper nano-particles. Theres no point in using this for steel countertops, which already have enough toxic metals to do the job as well as it can be done, but Marble countertops should be given the same advantage.
-- Voice, Mar 24 2007

Resistant Bacteria http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/F3d6a.htm
[nuclear hobo, Mar 24 2007]

CDC http://www.cdc.gov/...l7no3_supp/levy.htm
[nuclear hobo, Mar 24 2007]

Toxic properties of copper http://en.wikipedia...iki/Copper#Toxicity
[wittyhoosier, Apr 06 2007]

If I had a pound for every time I've picked up an infection from a marble countertop I'd be none the richer.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 24 2007


There is considerable research showing that anti-bacterial products increase pathogen's resistence to antibiotics. There is also wide concern that anti-bacterial products have negative effects on the human immune system.
-- nuclear hobo, Mar 24 2007


Pray tell, [hobo], where may we reference this research?

sp. nanoparticles.
-- daseva, Mar 24 2007


Beg to differ, [21] copper has long been used in both plumbing and cooking pans/pots. For what it's worth, I think that if bacteria were going to become resistant to copper, they would've done it sometime in the millions of years before now. Both have been around a while. Copper appears to be a toxin, see link.

Stone counters are porous, giving germs a place to hide. An epoxy sealant to fill the pores before the stone is finally polished might reduce the surface porosity.
-- wittyhoosier, Apr 06 2007


Technically speaking, "antibacterial" refers to artificial, organic-like chemicals intended to harm bacteria. Not all of them actually work, none of them can kill all bacteria, most of them can mimic estrogens, and none of them are copper.

How about chaning the name to "heavy metal counter" or something a little more technically accurate.

1/3 Bone for using antibacterial, which really is bad stuff. 1/3 bone for calling copepr something it is not and causing the antibacterial problem yourself. 1/3 bone for calling someone a cretin.
-- ye_river_xiv, Apr 06 2007


lets see:

Anti means against

Bacteria means bacteria

ial means does something.

That would be.. kills bacteria! really, whats the point of calling it bacteria-killing instead? (The word you're looking for is probably antibiotic, which has come to mean the chemical type)

Copper is toxic, copper kills bacteria, anti-bacterial does not only mean chemicals, and the act of not withdrawing a bone after one has been proven wrong is the act of a cretin!
-- Voice, Apr 16 2007



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