UNITED
STATES
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
AGENCY
WASHINGTON,
D.
C.
20460
OFFICE
OF
PREVENTION,
PESTICIDES
AND
TOXIC
SUBSTANCES
Chemical:
Coppers
(
Copper
sulfate,
copper
group
II,
copper
salts,
copper
and
oxides)
PC
Code:
024401,
008101,023401,
022901,
022702,
022703,
008001,
023501,
023503,
023104,
024407,
024403,
024409,
023306
DP
Barcode:
330382
MEMORANDUM
DATE:
June
28,
2006
SUBJECT:
Analysis
of
Water
Chemistry
to
Develop
Label
Language
for
Re­
Registration
of
Copper
sulfate
(
Case#
0636),
Group
II
copper
compounds
(
Case
#
0649),
and
Copper
salts
(
Case#
4029)
for
use
on
crops
and
as
direct
water
applications
(
Docket
ID
EPA­
HQ­
OPP­
2005­
0558)

FROM:
Paige
Doelling
Brown,
Ph.
D.,
Fisheries
Biologist
James
Hetrick,
Ph.
D.,
Senior
Chemist
Nancy
Andrews,
Ph.
D,
Branch
Chief
Environmental
Risk
Branch
1
Environmental
Fate
and
Effects
Division
(
7507C)

TO:
Rosanna
Louie,
Chemical
Review
Manger
Reregistration
Branch
3
(
RB3)
Special
Review
and
Re­
Registration
Division
(
7505C)

To
assist
SRRD
and
RD
in
developing
label
language
for
copper,
EFED
performed
an
analysis
of
the
effect
of
varying
the
three
water
chemistry
parameters
(
DOC,
pH,
and
alkalinity)
identified
as
most
influential
in
controlling
bioavailability
of
the
cupric
(
Cu2+)
ion.
The
analysis
was
based
on
median
water
chemistry
parameters
from
the
USGS
water
chemistry
data
set
used
in
the
risk
assessment.
Each
of
the
three
parameters
was
varied
(
separately)
in
increments
from
the
minimum
to
the
maximum
value
in
the
data
set.
All
other
parameters
were
held
constant.
This
analysis
showed
that
the
concentration
of
the
cupric
ion,
at
least
as
predicted
by
the
Biotic
Ligand
Model
(
BLM),
is
most
heavily
influenced
by
DOC
and
pH.
At
median
water
chemistry
conditions,
varying
the
alkalinity
through
the
range
of
conditions
in
the
dataset
had
no
effect
on
the
risk
quotient
for
trout.
Additional
analysis
consisted
of
calculating
risk
quotients
for
Daphnia
magna
and
fathead
minnow
(
Pimephales
promelas)
at
various
concentrations
of
copper
and
varying
the
concentrations
of
DOC
and
pH
while
holding
alkalinity
and
other
water
parameters
constant
at
the
median
values.
Contour
graphs
showing
the
results
of
the
analysis
are
included
in
this
memo.

Based
on
the
analysis,
the
greatest
risk
from
"
introduced"
copper
is
found
when
the
pH
is
approximately
6.5
or
less
and
the
DOC
is
approximately
3.0
mg/
L
or
less.
Although
alkalinity
did
not
appear
to
play
as
important
a
role
in
controlling
cupric
ion
concentrations
as
the
other
two
parameters,
it
has
been
recognized
as
important,
and
existing
water
quality
standards
incorporate
this
fact
by
including
a
hardness
correction
factor.
EFED
recommends
including
a
50
mg/
L
alkalinity
guideline
in
the
label
language,
or
at
least
qualitatively
warning
against
use
in
"
soft"
waters.
1
ug/
L
pH
5
6
7
8
DOC
(
mg/
L)

5
10
15
20
25
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.1
ug/
L
pH
5
6
7
8
DOC
(
mg/
L)

5
10
15
20
25
1e­
2
2e­
2
3e­
2
4e­
2
5e­
2
6e­
2
5
ug/
L
pH
5
6
7
8
DOC
(
mg/
L)

5
10
15
20
25
1
2
3
12.5
ug/
L
pH
5
6
7
8
DOC
(
mg/
L)

5
10
15
20
25
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
25
ug/
L
pH
5
6
7
8
DOC
(
mg/
L)

5
10
15
20
25
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
50
ug/
L
pH
5
6
7
8
DOC
(
mg/
L)

5
10
15
20
25
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Daphnia
RQ
Contour
Plots
for
Dissolved
Copper
(
Cu
2+)
1
ug/
L
pH
5
6
7
8
DOC
(
mg/
L)

5
10
15
20
25
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.1
ug/
L
pH
5
6
7
8
DOC
(
mg/
L)

5
10
15
20
25
1e­
2
2e­
2
3e­
2
4e­
2
5e­
2
6e­
2
5
ug/
L
pH
5
6
7
8
DOC
(
mg/
L)

5
10
15
20
25
1
2
3
12.5
ug/
L
pH
5
6
7
8
DOC
(
mg/
L)

5
10
15
20
25
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
25
ug/
L
pH
5
6
7
8
DOC
(
mg/
L)

5
10
15
20
25
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
50
ug/
L
pH
5
6
7
8
DOC
(
mg/
L)

5
10
15
20
25
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Fathead
Minnow
RQ
Contour
Plots
for
Dissolved
Copper
(
Cu
2+)
