Summary of the Public Health Goal for Copper
A Public Health Goal (PHG) of 170 ppb is developed for copper in drinking water. Copper does not appear to be carcinogenic in animals or humans, therefore the PHG is based on noncarcinogenic effects. The PHG is based on gastrointestinal effects in children, the sensitive group for this chemical. In one case report of a Vermont family that consumed drinking water with a copper concentration of 7.8 mg/L, a seven-year-old girl experienced abdominal pain and a five-year-old girl experienced episodes of vomiting and abdominal pain after drinking the water. To calculate the lowest-observed-adverse-effect-level (LOAEL) the water consumption of the two girls was estimated at one liter per day. An uncertainty factor of 10 was employed to extrapolate from an LOAEL to a no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL), and a relative source contribution of 80% was assumed. Based on these assumptions, OEHHA calculates a PHG of 0.17 mg/L (170 ppb) for copper in drinking water.
- Copper