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Copper
Description: Copper (C.A.S. 7440-50-8), one of the chemical elements, is a reddish, lustrous and malleable solid. It is used as a metal for electrical and electronic products in building construction, industrial machinery and equipment, and heating, chemical, and pharmaceutical machinery. It is used in alloys, inorganic pigments, electroplated protective coatings and undercoatings, cooking utensils, corrosion-resistant piping, insulation for liquid fuels, coins, cement, food and drugs, metallurgy, nylon, paper products, dyes, pollution control devices, printing and photocopying, pyrotechnics, wood preservatives, insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. It is also used to manufacture anti-fouling paints, corrosion inhibitors, electrolysis and electroplating processes, fabric and textiles, flameproofing, fuel additives, glass, and ceramics. Chemical properties: Copper is an odorless solid, but can produce dust and mist. It is insoluble in hot and cold water, soluble in nitric acid and hot sulfuric acid, and very slightly soluble in hydrochloric acid and ammonium hydroxide. It become dull when exposed to air. It is attacked by acetic and organic acids; very slowly attacked by cold hydrochloric acid and diluted sulfuric acid; and readily attacked by alkalies, diluted nitric acid, hot concentrated sulfuric acid, and hydrobromic acid. It is incompatible with oxidizers, alkalies, sodium azide, and acetylene. It conducts heat and electricity well. Synonyms for copper are copper metal dusts; and copper metal fumes. Identification: Health effects: Exposure to copper can irritate the nasal mucous membranes, pharynx, and eyes, and cause chest pains, vomiting, nasal perforation, and dermatitis. Exposure to copper fumes and dust can irritate the upper respiratory tract, and cause congestion of nasal mucous membranes, ulceration and perforation of the nasal septum, discoloration of the skin, and pharyngeal congestion. Fumes from the heating of metallic copper can cause upper respiratory irritation, chills, aching muscles, nausea, gastric pain, and diarrhea. Inhalation of copper salts can cause salivation, nausea, vomiting, gastric pain, hemorrhagic gastritis, and diarrhea. Acute poisoning from inhalation of copper containing dust has caused symptoms of heavy metal poisoning. Chronic exposure to copper can cause anemia. Copper is less toxic than its salt compounds. Exposure Values: Economics: U.S. manufacturers of copper are American Chemet Corp, Deerfield, IL; ASARCO Inc, New York, NY; Atlantic Equipment Engineers, Bergenfield, NJ; Atlantic Powdered Metals, Inc, New York, NY ; Cerac, Inc, Milwaukee, WI ; Chemtech Industries, Inc, St. Louis, MO; Consolidated Astronautics, NY; GFS Chemicals, Columbus, OH; SCM Metal Products/SCM Corp, Gainesville, FL; A D Mackay, Inc, Darien, CT; ALFA Products, Morton Thiokol Inc, Danvers, MA; Anderson Physics Labs, Inc, Urbana, IL; Belmont Metals Inc, NY; Fidelity Chemical Products Corp, Newark, NJ; Gerald Metals, Inc, Stamford, CT; Ney Products, Inc, Brooklyn, NY; Noah Chemical Div, Noah Technologies Corp, San Antonio, TX; Reade Metals & Minerals Corp, Rumson, NJ; Ruger Chemical Co, Inc, Irvington, NJ; Tafa Inc, (Concord) Bow, NH; United Mineral & Chem Corp, New York, NY; Var-Lac-Oid Chem Co, Inc, Bergenfield, NJ; and Wilshire Chemical Co, Inc, Gardena, CA. Regulation: Copper is regulated under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund); Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act; National Primary Drinking Water Regulations of the Safe Drinking Water Act; Clean Water Act, as Primary Pollutant; and Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. Under Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act of 1986, releases of more than one pound of chlorine into the air, water, and land must be reported annually and entered into the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). National Overview of 1998 Toxics Release Inventory See EPA's Toxic Release Inventory. Notations: The NIOSH recommended exposure limits (RELs) are time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations for up to a 10-hour workday during a 40-hour workweek. A short-term exposure limit (STEL) is designated by "ST" preceding the value; unless noted otherwise, the STEL is a 15-minute TWA exposure that should not be exceeded at any time during a workday. A ceiling REL is designated by "C" preceding the value. Any substance that NIOSH considers to be a potential occupational carcinogen is designated by the notation "Ca." The OSHA permissible exposure limits (PEL) are found in Tables Z-1, Z-2, and Z-3 of the OSHA General Industry Air Contaminants Standard (29 CFR 1910.1000). Unless noted otherwise, PEL are TWA concentrations that must not be exceeded during any 8-hour workshift of a 40-hour workweek. A STEL is designated by "ST" preceding the value and is measured over a 15-minute period unless noted otherwise. OSHA ceiling concentrations (designated by "C" preceding the value) must not be exceeded during any part of the workday; if instantaneous monitoring is not feasible, the ceiling must be assessed as a 15-minute TWA exposure. In addition, there are a number of substances from Table Z-2 (e.g., beryllium, ethylene dibromide, etc.) that have PEL ceiling values that must not be exceeded except for specified excursions. For example, a "5-minute maximum peak in any 2 hours" means that a 5-minute exposure above the ceiling value, but never above the maximum peak, is allowed in any 2 hours during an 8-hour workday. Information Sources:
Originally published in Environment Writer by the National Safety Council. Reprinted with permission. Environment Writer Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography Office of Marine Programs Narragansett, RI 02882 Tel: 401-874-6211; Fax: 401-874-6485 Disclaimer * Copyright 2002-2006 * All rights reserved. * University of Rhode Island |