A good question and quite relevant in present context. But I cannot improve upon the answer Mr. Kartikay Sharma has given here.

The History of Copper

Before it was recognized that microorganisms existed, citizens of the early Roman Empire used copper piping to improve public hygiene. They observed that water delivered through copper was safe to drink and that copper utensils and cookware helped to prevent the spread of disease. Much later, after microbes were discovered and the germ theory of infection linked bacteria and other microorganisms to infection and disease, scientists began to understand how coppers antimicrobial properties could be harnessed to provide additional benefits. Today, the antimicrobial uses of copper have been expanded to include fungicides, pesticides, antifouling paints, antimicrobial medicines, oral hygiene products, hygienic medical devices, antiseptics and sinks for the kitchen and bath environment.

You Cannot Live Without It

Copper is one of a relatively small group of metallic elements which are essential to human health. These elements, along with amino and fatty acids as wel ...more