Abstract

The fate and effects of copper in the environment are governed by a complex set of environmental processes that include binding to inorganic and organic ligands in water, soil, and sediments. In natural waters, these interactions can limit copper bioavailability and result in copper transport from the water column to the sediment. In the present study, data on the fate of copper added to lakes, microcosms, and mesocosms were compiled and analyzed to determine copper removal rates from the water column. Studies on copper behavior in sediment were also reviewed to assess the potential for remobilization. A previously developed, screening‐level fate and transport model (tableau input coupled kinetic equilibrium transport–unit world model [TICKET–UWM]) was parameterized and applied to quantify copper removal rates and remobilization in a standardized lake setting. Field and modeling results were reconciled within a framework that links copper removal rates to lake depths and solids fluxes. The results of these analyses provide converging evidence that, on a large scale, copper is removed relatively quickly from natural waters. For the majority of studies examined, more than 70% of the added copper was removed from the water column within 16 d of dosing. This information may be useful in the context of environmental hazard and risk assessment of copper. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:1386‒1399. © 2019 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.

Highlights

  • The fate of copper in surface waters is governed by many complex environmental processes

  • Organic substances can adsorb to settling particles and be transported to the sediment, there is no fundamental change in speciation, as is the case for copper and other metals

  • Results from the empirical KD simulations indicate total and dissolved copper concentrations at the end of the 1‐yr simulation that were more than 30 times lower than the 70% removal concentration

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Summary

Introduction

The fate of copper in surface waters is governed by many complex environmental processes. Copper in surface waters occurs predominantly as the cupric form, Cu(II). When dissolved copper is introduced into the environment, the cupric ion typically binds to inorganic and organic ligands contained within water, soil, and sediments. Copper ions form stable complexes with ‐NH2, ‐SH, and, ‐OH groups of dissolved organic matter. In typical natural waters, more than 98% of the dissolved copper may be complexed to dissolved natural organic matter (e.g., fulvic acids; Tipping 1994; Bryan et al 2002). Copper may bind to various inorganic and organic

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