29

Atomic mass

63.546 g.mol ^-1

Electronegativity according to Pauling

1.9

Density

8.9 g.cm^-3 at 20°C

Melting point

1083 °C

Boiling point

2595 °C

Vanderwaals radius

0.128 nm

Ionic radius

0.096 nm (+1) ; 0.069 nm (+3)

Isotopes

6

Electronic shell

[ Ar ] 3d¹⁰ 4s¹

Energy of first ionisation

743.5 kJ.mol ^-1

Energy of second ionisation

1946 kJ.mol ^-1

Standard potential

+ 0.522 V ( Cu⁺/ Cu ) ; + 0.345 V (Cu²⁺/ Cu )

Discovered by

The ancients

Routes of exposition

Copper can be found in many kinds of food, in drinking water and in air. Because of that we absorb eminent quantities of copper each day by eating, drinking and breathing. The absorption of copper is necessary, because copper is a trace element that is essential for human health. Although humans can handle proportionally large concentrations of copper, too much copper can still cause eminent health problems.

Copper concentrations in air are usually quite low, so that exposure to copper through breathing is negligible. But people that live near smelters that process copper ore into metal, do experience this kind of exposure.

People that live in houses that still have copper plumbing are exposed to higher levels of copper than most people, because copper is released into their drinking water through corrosion of pipes.

Occupational exposure to copper often occurs. In the working environment, copper contagion can lead to a flu-like condition known as metal fever. This condition will pass after two days and is caused by over sensitivity.

Effects

Long-term exposure to copper can cause irritation of the nose, mouth and eyes and it causes headaches, stomachaches, dizziness, vomiting and diarrhea. Intentionally high uptakes of copper may cause liver and kidney damage and even death. Whether copper is carcinogenic has not been determined yet.
There are scientific articles that indicate a link between long-term exposure to high concentrations of copper and a decline in intelligence with young adolescents. Whether this should be of concern is a topic for further investigation.

Industrial exposure to copper fumes, dusts, or mists may result in metal fume fever with atrophic changes in nasal mucous membranes. Chronic copper poisoning results in Wilson’s Disease, characterized by a hepatic cirrhosis, brain damage, demyelization, renal disease, and copper deposition in the cornea.

When copper ends up in soil it strongly attaches to organic matter and minerals. As a result it does not travel very far after release and it hardly ever enters groundwater. In surface water copper can travel great distances, either suspended on sludge particles or as free ions.

Copper does not break down in the environment and because of that it can accumulate in plants and animals when it is found in soils. On copper-rich soil only a limited number of plants have a chance of survival. That is why there is not much plant diversity near copper-disposing factories. Due to the effects upon plants copper is a serious threat to the productions of farmlands. Copper can seriously influence the proceedings of certain farmlands, depending upon the acidity of the soil and the presence of organic matter. Despite of this, copper-containing manures are still applied.

Copper can interrupt the activity in soil, as it negatively influences the activity of microorganisms and earthworms. The decomposition of organic matter may seriously slow down because of this.

When the soils of farmland are polluted with copper, animals will absorb concentrations that are damaging to their health. Mainly sheep suffer a great deal from copper poisoning, because the effects of copper are manifesting at fairly low concentrations.