Copper(II) carbonate-copper(II) hydroxide (1:1)

Bioaccumulation: aquatic / sediment

Description of key information

No bioaccumulation potential

Additional information

Copper is a micro-nutrient of living organisms. Bioaccumulation of copper from the environment occurs if the copper is biologically available.  Accumulation factors vary greatly between different organisms, but tend to be higher at lower exposure concentrations. Accumulation may lead to exceptionally high body burdens in certain animals (such as bivalves) and terrestrial plants (such as those growing on contaminated soils).  However, many organisms are capable of regulating their body copper concentration. Higher animals like fish can regulate the content of copper in their organism and, to some extent, they can accumulate copper in the liver but not in the muscles. If copper exists in the surroundings or in the food in very low concentrations, an accumulation may be the result of the organism utilizing copper as a nutrient. The interpretation of bioconcentration factors (BCF values) for an essential micro-nutrient like copper is thus difficult. Nevertheless, the “Technical Guidance Document to Industry on the Information Requirements for REACH" (2008) clearly states “For essential elements, removal and sequestration processes that minimize toxicity are complemented by an ability to regulate concentrations for essentiality. As a result, concentrations of essential mineral nutrients in organisms tend to be highly regulated and these metals do not need to be classified as “bioaccumulative” .” RIP 3.6

Furthermore, "an in-depth literature search showed the absence of copper biomagnification across the trophic chain in the aquatic and terrestrial food chains. Differences in sensitivity among species were not related to the level in the trophic chain but to the capability of internal homeostasis and detoxification. Field evidence had further provided no indications of secondary poisoning". EU-RAR (2008)