Copper oxide (CuO)

SRP: At the time of review, criteria for land treatment or burial (sanitary landfill) disposal practices are subject to significant revision. Prior to implementing land disposal of waste residue (including waste sludge), consult with environmental regulatory agencies for guidance on acceptable disposal practices.

Group III Containers (both combustible and non-combustible) that previously held organic mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, or inorganic pesticides should be triple rinsed, punctured and disposed of in a sanitary landfill. Non-rinsed containers should be encapsulated and buried at a specially designated landfill site. /Organic mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, or inorganic pesticides/

Do not contaminate water by ... disposal of wastes near a body of water. /Copper oxides/

SRP: Local exhaust ventilation should be applied wherever there is an incidence of point source emissions or dispersion of regulated contaminants in the work area. Ventilation control of the contaminant as close to its point of generation is both the most economical and safest method to minimize personnel exposure to airborne contaminants.

The worker should immediately wash the skin when it becomes contaminated.

Work clothing that becomes wet or significantly contaminated should be removed and replaced.

The worker should wash daily at the end of each work shift.

1.0 [mg/m3], as Cu

8 hr Time Weighted Avg (TWA): 0.2 mg/cu m /Copper fume/

Excursion Limit Recommendation: Excursions in worker exposure levels may exceed 3 times the TLV-TWA for no more than a total of 30 minutes during a work day, and under no circumstances should they exceed 5 times the TLV-TWA, provided that the TLV-TWA is not exceeded. /Copper fume/

1.0 [mg/m3], as Cu

TWA 0.1 mg/m3

0.075 [mg/m3]

16 [mg/m3]

93 [mg/m3]

Wear appropriate eye protection to prevent eye contact.

Wear appropriate personal protective clothing to prevent skin contact.

Recommendations for respirator selection. 1 mg/cu m. Respirator Class(es): Any dust, mist, and fume respirator. Any supplied-air respirator.

Recommendations for respirator selection. 2.5 mg/cu m. Respirator Class(es): Any supplied-air respirator operated in a continuous flow mode. Any powered, air-purifying respirator with a dust, mist, and fume filter.

For more Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (Complete) data for COPPER(II) OXIDE (8 total), please visit the HSDB record page.

EYES: irrigate opened eyes for several minutes under running water. INGESTION: do not induce vomiting. Rinse mouth with water (never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person). Seek immediate medical advice. SKIN: should be treated immediately by rinsing the affected parts in cold running water for at least 15 minutes, followed by thorough washing with soap and water. If necessary, the person should shower and change contaminated clothing and shoes, and then must seek medical attention. INHALATION: supply fresh air. If required provide artificial respiration.

People must absorb small amounts of copper every day because copper is essential for good health, however, high levels of copper can be harmful. Very-high doses of copper can cause damage to your liver and kidneys, and can even cause death. Copper may induce allergic responses in sensitive individuals. (L278, L279)

inhalation, skin and/or eye contact

Oral (L277) ; inhalation (L277) ; dermal (L277)

For healthy, non-occupationally-exposed humans the major route of exposure to copper is oral. The mean daily dietary intake of copper in adults ranges between 0.9 and 2.2 mg. ... In some cases, drinking water may make a substantial additional contribution to the total daily intake of copper, particularly in households where corrosive waters have stood in copper pipes. ... All other intakes of copper (inhalation and dermal) are insignificant in comparison to the oral route. Inhalation adds 0.3-2.0 ug/day from dusts and smoke. Women using copper IUDs are exposed to only 80ug or less of copper per day from this source. The homeostasis of copper involves the dual essentiality and toxicity of the element. Its essentiality arises from its specific incorporation into a large number of proteins for catalytic and structural purposes. The cellular pathways of uptake, incorporation into protein and export of copper are conserved in mammals and modulated by the metal itself. Copper is mainly absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. From 20 to 60% of the dietary copper is absorbed, with the rest being excreted through the feces. Once the metal passes through the basolateral membrane it is transported to the liver bound to serum albumin. The liver is the critical organ for copper homeostatis. The copper is partitioned for excretion through the bile or incorporation into intra- and extracellular proteins. The primary route of excretion is through the bile. The transport of copper to the peripheral tissues is accomplished through the plasma attached to serum albumin, ceruloplasmin or low-molecular weight complexes. ... The biochemical toxicity of copper, when it exceeds homeostatic control, is derived from its effects on the structure and function of biomolecules, such as DNA, membranes and proteins directly or through oxygen-radical mechanisms. The toxicity of a single oral dose of copper varies widely between species. ... The major soluble salts (copper(II) sulfate, copper(II) chloride) are generally more toxic than the less soluble salts (copper(II) hydroxide, copper (II) oxide). Death is preceded by gastric hemorrhage, tachycardia, hypotension, hemolytic crisis, convulsions and paralysis. ... Long-term exposure in rats and mice showed no overt signs of toxicity other than a dose-related reduction in growth after ingestion ... The effects included inflammation of the liver and degeneration of kidney tubule epithelium. ... Some testicular degeneration and reduced neonatal body and organ weights were seen in rats ... and fetotoxic effects and malformations were seen at high dose levels. ... Neurochemical changes have been reported after oral administration ... A limited number of immunotoxicity studies showed humoral and cell-mediated immune function impairment in mice after oral intakes in drinking-water ... Copper is an essential element and adverse health effects /in humans/ are related to deficiency as well as excess. Copper deficiency is associated with anemia, neutropenia and bone abnormalities but clinically evident deficiency is relatively infrequent in humans. .. Except for occasional acute incidents of copper poisoning, few effects are noted in normal /human/ populations. Effects of single exposure following suicidal or accidental oral exposure have been reported as metallic taste, epigastric pain, headache, nausea, dizziness, vomiting and diarrhea, tachycardia, respiratory difficulty, hemolytic anemia, hematuria, massive gastrointestinal bleeding, liver and kidney failure, and death. Gastrointestinal effects have also resulted from single and repeated ingestion of drinking-water containing high copper concentrations, and liver failure has been reported following chronic ingestion of copper. Dermal exposure has not been associated with systemic toxicity but copper may induce allergic responses in sensitive individuals. Metal fume fever from inhalation of high concentrations in the air in occupational settings have been reported ... A number of groups are described where apparent disorders in copper homeostasis result in greater sensitivity to copper deficit or excess than the general population. Some disorders have a well-defined genetic basis. These include Menkes disease, a generally fatal manifestation of copper deficiency; Wilson disease (hepatolenticular degeneration), a condition leading to progressive accumulation of copper; and hereditary aceruloplasminemia, with clinical symptoms of copper overload. Indian childhood cirrhosis and idiopathic copper toxicosis are conditions related to excess copper which may be associated with genetically based copper sensitivity ... These are fatal conditions in early childhood where copper accumulates in the liver. ... Other groups potentially sensitive to copper excess are hemodialysis patients and subjects with chronic liver disease. Groups at risk of copper deficiency include infants (particularly low birth weight/preterm babies, children recovering from malnutrition, and babies fed exclusively with cow's milk), people with maladsorption syndrome (e.g., celiac disease, sprue, cystic fibrosis), and patients on total parenteral nutrition. Copper deficiency has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. The adverse effects of copper must be balanced against its essentiality. Copper is an essential element for all biota ... At least 12 major proteins require copper as an integral part of their structure. It is essential for the utilization of iron in the formation of hemoglobin, and most crustaceans and molluscs possess the copper-containing hemocyanin as their main oxygen-carrying blood protein. ... A critical factor in assessing the hazard of copper is its bioavailablity. Adsorption of copper to particles and complexation by organic matter can greatly limit the degree to which copper will be accumulated ... At many sites, physiochemical factors limiting bioavailability will warrant higher copper limits. ...

Excess copper is sequestered within hepatocyte lysosomes, where it is complexed with metallothionein. Copper hepatotoxicity is believed to occur when the lysosomes become saturated and copper accumulates in the nucleus, causing nuclear damage. This damage is possibly a result of oxidative damage, including lipid peroxidation. Copper inhibits the sulfhydryl group enzymes such as glucose-6-phosphate 1-dehydrogenase, glutathione reductase, and paraoxonases, which protect the cell from free oxygen radicals. It also influences gene expression and is a co-factor for oxidative enzymes such as cytochrome C oxidase and lysyl oxidase. In addition, the oxidative stress induced by copper is thought to activate acid sphingomyelinase, which lead to the production of ceramide, an apoptotic signal, as well as cause hemolytic anemia. Copper-induced emesis results from stimulation of the vagus nerve. (L277, T49, A174, L280)

irritation eyes, upper respiratory system; metal fume fever: chills, muscle ache, nausea, fever, dry throat, cough, lassitude (weakness, exhaustion); metallic or sweet taste; discoloration skin, hair

Breathing high levels of copper can cause irritation of the nose and throat. Ingesting high levels of copper can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, and respiratory difficulty. (L278, L279)

Verdigris, formed by atmospheric corrosion of the surface of metallic copper presumably composed of copper carbonates & oxides, causes immediate irritation & conjunctival inflammation when accidentally dropped or dusted on the eyes of patients, but the reaction subsides without permanent damage soon after the eye is cleaned by irrigation. /Verdigris/

The acute inhalation of copper fume during refining or welding processes may cause typical metal fume fever with upper respiratory irritation, chills, and aching muscles. A number of workers who developed copper fume fever had serum copper levels which averaged 1.26 mg/l. /Copper fume/

Inhalation of copper fume results in irritation of the upper respiratory tract and an influenza-like illness termed metal fume fever. Signs and symptoms of metal fume fever include chills, muscle aches, nausea, fever, dry throat cough, weakness, and lassitude. There is usually leucocytosis, which may amount to 12,000 to 16,000/ml; recovery is usually rapid, and there are no sequelae. Most workers develop an immunity to these attacks, but it is quickly lost; attacks tend to be more severe on the first day of the work-week. Other effects from copper fume are irritation of the upper respiratory tract, metallic or sweet taste, and in some instances discoloration of the skin and hair. Exposure of workers to concentrations of 1 to 3 mg/cu m for short periods resulted in altered taste response but no nausea; levels of from 0.02 to 0.4 mg/cu m produced no complaints. Transient irritation of the eyes has followed exposure to a fine dust of oxidation products of copper produced in an electric arc. /Copper fume/

Metal fume fever occurred among workers involved in cutting brass pipes with electric torches in an enclosed, poorly ventilated steam condenser. Symptoms most commonly reported among the 26 workers were fever, dyspnea, chills, headache, and nausea. Fourteen of the workers experienced the symptom of an unusual sweet or metallic taste in the mouth. Clinical signs were limited to wheezing or rales in eight patients; leukocytosis and an elevation of band cell forms were seen in a total of 24 workers. The average time between exposure and onset of symptoms was 5 hr. None of three workers who spent less than 1 hr in the condenser became ill, whereas 25 of the 26 who spent more than 1 hr became ill. Five of 12 workers had urine copper levels in excess of 0.05 mg/l /Copper fume/

Agents assoc with incr risk /of pancreatic cancer/ include ... copper fumes. /copper fumes/

Guinea-pigs exposed to copper(II) oxide aerosol at 1.6 mg/cu m... for 1 hour showed significant reductions in tidal volume, minute volume & lung compliance, both during & after exposure, while respiratory frequency was slightly but not significantly incr.

Symptoms of acute copper toxicity are sporadic fever, tachycardia, hypotension, hemolytic anemia with intravascular hemolysis, oliguria, uremia, coma, cardiovasuclar collapse, & death. The prompt emetic effect of copper limits its oral toxicity ... /because it/ irritates the nerve endings in the stomach & initiates the vomiting reflex in higher animals. Inhalation of dusts & fumes ... cause congestion of nasal mucous membranes, ulceration & perforation of the nasal septum, & pharyngeal congestion. ... Highly water soluble copper salts are more toxic than sparingly soluble salts; anions such as arsenite & chromate enhance apparent copper toxicity. /Soluble copper salts/

Chronic poisoning is not uncommon in sheep grazed in orchards in which fruit sprays containing copper have been used. The spraying program is usually adjusted so that sheep are not introduced into the area until at least 5 days after the last spraying. Cases of poisoning are often accompanied by a history of dry weather, with no growth of herbage, so that animals are forced to consume old grass heavily contaminated with copper. /Copper containing pesticides/

When applied to growing crops, in accordance with good agricultural practice, cupric oxide is exempt from the requirement of a tolerance.

As the federal pesticide law FIFRA directs, EPA is conducting a comprehensive review of older pesticides to consider their health and environmental effects and make decisions about their future use. Under this pesticide reregistration program, EPA examines health and safety data for pesticide active ingredients initially registered before November 1, 1984, and determines whether they are eligible for reregistration. In addition, all pesticides must meet the new safety standard of the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. Pesticides for which EPA had not issued Registration Standards prior to the effective date of FIFRA, as amended in 1988, were divided into three lists based upon their potential for human exposure and other factors, with List B containing pesticides of greater concern and List D pesticides of less concern. Cupric oxide is found on List D. Case No: 4025; Pesticide type: Insecticide, fungicide, herbicide; Case Status: OPP is reviewing data from the pesticide's producers regarding its human health and/or environmental effects, or OPP is determining the pesticide's eligibility for reregistration and developing the Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) document.; Active ingredient (AI): Cupric oxide; Data Call-in (DCI) Date(s): 09/30/93; AI Status: The producers of the pesticide has made commitments to conduct the studies and pay the fees required for reregistration, and are meeting those commitments in a timely manner.

Used as a pigment (glass, ceramics, enamels, glazes, and artificial gems), flux (copper metallurgy, glass fibers, and bronze welding), polishing agent for optical glass, pesticide (antifouling paints, wood preservative, and potato plant and seedling insecticide), solvent for chromic iron ores, and reagent in analytical chemistry; Also used to make rayon, other copper compounds, acrylates, batteries, electrodes, and magnetic storage devices, for desulfurizing oils, in sweetening petroleum gases, electroplating, purification of hydrogen and waste gases, pyrotechnics, phosphor exciters, catalysts, cloud seeding agents, solar energy devices, cigarette additives, animal feeds, and catalytic converters; [HSDB] Found as the as the mineral tenorite (pure form is a p-type semiconductor); Other uses include correcting copper deficiencies in soil, in high temperature superconductors, as source of oxygen, in the determination of nitrogen, and as a dietary supplement; [Merck Index] Copper I oxide slowly oxidizes in moist air to Copper II oxide; [Ullmann]

Welding [Category: Weld]

Ceramics making [Category: Hobbies]

For Copper (II) oxide (USEPA/OPP Pesticide Code: 042401) ACTIVE products with label matches. /SRP: Registered for use in the U.S. but approved pesticide uses may change periodically and so federal, state and local authorities must be consulted for currently approved uses./

As pigment in glass, ceramics, enamels, porcelain glazes, artificial gems; in mfr of rayon, other copper cmpd; in sweetening petroleum gases; in galvanic electrodes; as flux in copper metallurgy; as optical glass polishing agent; welding fluxes for bronze; to impart flux and abrasion resistance to glass fibers; in antifouling paints, pyrotechnic compositions; as exciter in phosphor mixtures; as catalyst for org reactions

Cloud seeding; used as a heat collecting surface in solar energy devices; reduces tar in tobacco smoke; used as a catalyst in ammonia manufacture; and for the oxidation of exhaust gases from internal combustion engines.

1.14X10+9 g

(1986) 5359771 lb

Prep: Glemser, Sauer in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry vol 2 G Bauer Ed (Academic Press NY 2nd ed 1965) p 1012.

Ignition of copper carbonate or copper nitrate

IT CAN BE PREPARED BY OXIDATION OF COPPER TURNINGS AT 800 °C IN AIR OR OXYGEN ...

Copper(II) hydroxide is easily converted to the oxide by heating.

For more Methods of Manufacturing (Complete) data for COPPER(II) OXIDE (7 total), please visit the HSDB record page.

USEPA/OPP Pesticide Code 042401; Trade Names: Banacobru ol and Black copper oxide.

Wettable micro granular; wettable powder

The pigment known as Scheele's green is a complex mixture of cupric oxide & cupric arsenite. ...

Wolmanac concentrate (70%), for industrial use only, soluble concentrate, 23.8% arsenic pentoxide, 32.25% chromic acid, 12.95% cupric oxide

For more Formulations/Preparations (Complete) data for COPPER(II) OXIDE (14 total), please visit the HSDB record page.

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

Copper oxide (CuO): ACTIVE