Copper
Chemical Groups: Inorganic, Metals
Also Known As:
CASRN: 7440-50-8
Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life
Freshwater
Short Term Concentration (µg/L) No data
Long Term Concentration (µg/L) Equation
The CWQG for copper is related to water hardness (as CaCO3):
When the water hardness is 0 to < 82 mg/L, the CWQG is 2 µg/L
At hardness ≥82 to ≤180 mg/L the CWQG is calculated using this equation (see calculator below)
CWQG (µg/L) = 0.2 * e{0.8545[ln(hardness)]-1.465}
At hardness >180 mg/L, the CWQG is 4 µg/L
If the hardness is unknown, the CWQG is 2 µg/L
The online calculator (below) will return the correct value over the entire range of hardness.
Enter water hardness here:
mg/L CaCO3
Calculated copper guideline:
µg/L Cu
Note: No fact sheet created. For more information on this guideline, please refer to Canadian Water Quality Guidelines (CCREM 1987). Out of convenience, this guideline was presented as a range depending upon the water hardness in earlier versions of CCME (1999). It is now presented as an equation as it originally appears in CCREM (1987).
Date 1987
Marine
Short Term Concentration (µg/L) No data
Long Term Concentration (µg/L) No data
Date No data
Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Agriculture
Irrigation
Concentration (µg/L) Variable
= 200 µg/L for cereals = 1000 µg/L for tolerant crops No fact sheet created. For more information on this guideline, please refer to Canadian Water Quality Guidelines (CCREM 1987).
Date 1987
Livestock
Concentration (µg/L) Variable
= 500 µg/L for sheep, 1000 µg/L for cattle, 5000 µg/L for swine and poultry No fact sheet created. For more information on this guideline, please refer to Canadian Water Quality Guidelines (CCREM 1987).
Date 1987
Sediment Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life
Freshwater
Concentration (µg/kg dry weight) ISQG 35,700
| Guideline | % ≤ ISQG | ISQG < % < PEL | % ≥ PEL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 4 | 38 | 44 |
Concentration (µg/kg dry weight) PEL 197,000
| Guideline | % ≤ ISQG | ISQG < % < PEL | % ≥ PEL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 4 | 38 | 44 |
Date 1998
Marine
Concentration (µg/kg dry weight) ISQG 18,700
| Guideline | % ≤ ISQG | ISQG < % < PEL | % ≥ PEL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 9 | 22 | 56 |
Concentration (µg/kg dry weight) PEL 108,000
| Guideline | % ≤ ISQG | ISQG < % < PEL | % ≥ PEL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 9 | 22 | 56 |
Date 1998
Soil Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Environmental and Human Health
Concentration (mg/kg dry weight) Agricultural 63
Data are sufficient and adequate to calculate a Soil Quality Guideline for Human Health (SQGHH) and a Soil Quality Guideline for Environmental health (SQGE). Therefore the soil quality guideline is the lower of the two and represents a fully integrated de novo guideline for this land use, derived in accordance with the soil protocol (CCME 1996;2006). The corresponding interim soil quality criterion (CCME 1991) is superseded by the soil quality guideline.
For guidelines derived prior to 2004, differentiation between soil texture (coarse/fine) is not applicable.
Concentration (mg/kg dry weight) Residential/ parkland 63
Data are sufficient and adequate to calculate a Soil Quality Guideline for Human Health (SQGHH) and a Soil Quality Guideline for Environmental health (SQGE). Therefore the soil quality guideline is the lower of the two and represents a fully integrated de novo guideline for this land use, derived in accordance with the soil protocol (CCME 1996;2006). The corresponding interim soil quality criterion (CCME 1991) is superseded by the soil quality guideline.
For guidelines derived prior to 2004, differentiation between soil texture (coarse/fine) is not applicable.
Concentration (mg/kg dry weight) Commercial 91
Data are sufficient and adequate to calculate a Soil Quality Guideline for Human Health (SQGHH) and a Soil Quality Guideline for Environmental health (SQGE). Therefore the soil quality guideline is the lower of the two and represents a fully integrated de novo guideline for this land use, derived in accordance with the soil protocol (CCME 1996;2006). The corresponding interim soil quality criterion (CCME 1991) is superseded by the soil quality guideline.
For guidelines derived prior to 2004, differentiation between soil texture (coarse/fine) is not applicable.
Concentration (mg/kg dry weight) Industrial 91
Data are sufficient and adequate to calculate a Soil Quality Guideline for Human Health (SQGHH) and a Soil Quality Guideline for Environmental health (SQGE). Therefore the soil quality guideline is the lower of the two and represents a fully integrated de novo guideline for this land use, derived in accordance with the soil protocol (CCME 1996;2006). The corresponding interim soil quality criterion (CCME 1991) is superseded by the soil quality guideline.
For guidelines derived prior to 2004, differentiation between soil texture (coarse/fine) is not applicable.
Date 1999
Tissue Residue Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Widlife Consumer of Aquatic Biota
Concentration (µg/L) No data
Date No data
Groundwater Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Environmental and Human Health
(Coarse Soil) Concentration (mg/L) - Agricultural/Residential No data
(Coarse Soil) Concentration (mg/L) - Commercial/Industrial No data
(Fine Soil) Concentration (mg/L) - Agricultural/Residential No data
(Fine Soil) Concentration (mg/L) - Commercial/Industrial No data
Date No data