Copper hydroxide nitrate (Cu2(OH)3(NO3))

Basic toxicokinetics

Administrative data

Endpoint:

basic toxicokinetics

Type of information:

other: scientific assessment

Adequacy of study:

weight of evidence

Study period:

December 2001

Reliability:

4 (not assignable)

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

study report

Title:

Unnamed

Year:

2001

Materials and methods

Principles of method if other than guideline:

Scientific assessment

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

Copper compounds

IUPAC Name:

Copper compounds

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Conclusions:

Interpretation of results (migrated information): other: See Toxicokinetic Assessment of Copper and Copper Compounds
Copper is an essential trace element, consumed via human nutrition at daily intakes rates of 0.9/2.2 mg Cu/day. Its essentiality relates to its presence in a large number of proteins in the human body. Homeostasis is controlled via a metallothionein-associated mechanisms.
Copper is predominantly absorbed via the gastrointestinal tract. Upon passage to blood plasma, copper is bound rapidly to serum albumin or transcuprein as transport proteins. Subsequent transport is directed primarily to the liver, the critical organ accounting for copper homeostasis. Excess copper is excreted primarily through the bile, or incorporate into ceruloplasmin for resecretion to blood.
The oral absorption rate varies between 20 and 75% (the balance being excreted via faeces), and appears to inversely related to dietary copper content. Absorption only occurs in the intestine, but also to a relevant extent in the stomach (Linder and Goode, 1991).
Reliable quantitative data on the extent of pulmonary and dermal absorption have not been reported. However, in a view of the ionic nature of copper ions, percutaneous absorption is not considered to be a relevant route of entry in the body (WHO, 1998).