Fish species vary in their sensitivity to copper, with the LD50 for 96-h exposure to copper sulphate reported to be in the order of 58 mg per litre for Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and 70 mg per litre for catfish (Clarias gariepinus)  The chronic effect of sublethal concentrations of copper on fish and other creatures is damage to gills, liver, kidneys and the nervous system. It also interferes with the sense of smell in fish, thus preventing them from choosing good mates or finding their way to mating areas.Copper-based paint is a common marine antifouling agent. In the United States, copper-based paint replaced tributyltin, which was banned due to its toxicity, as a way for boats to control organic growth on their hulls. In 2011, Washington state became the first U.S. state to ban the use of copper-based paint for boating, although it only applied to recreational boats. California has also pursued initiatives to reduce the effect of copper leaching, with the U.S. EPA pursuing research.Copper is an essential elemental for metabolic processes in marine algae. It is required for electron transport in photosynthesis and by various enzyme systems. Too much copper can also affect phytoplankton or marine algae in both marine and freshwater ecosystems. It has been show to inhibit photosynthesis, disrupt electron transport in photosystem 2, reduce pigment concentrations, restrict growth, reduce reproduction, etc. The toxicity of copper is widely recognized and is used to help prevent algal blooms. The effect of copper is solely dependent on the free copper the water is receiving.
Diagnosis
ICD-9-CM
ICD-9-CM code 985.8 Toxic effect of other specified metals includes acute & chronic copper poisoning (or other toxic effect) whether intentional, accidental, industrial etc. In addition, it includes poisoning and toxic effects of other metals including tin, selenium, nickel, iron, heavy metals, thallium, silver, lithium, cobalt, aluminum and bismuth. Some poisonings, e.g. zinc phosphide, would/could also be included as well as under 989.4 Poisoning due to other pesticides, etc. Excluded are toxic effects of mercury, arsenic, manganese, beryllium, antimony, cadmium, and chromium. ICD-10-CM
SNOMED
Treatment
In cases of suspected copper poisoning, penicillamine is the drug of choice, and dimercaprol, a heavy metal chelating agent, is often administered. Vinegar is not recommended to be given, as it assists in solubilizing insoluble copper salts. The inflammatory symptoms are to be treated on general principles, as are the nervous ones. Treatment can also look like ozone oxidation for environmental toxicity problems, as well as removing sediment in water areas because sediment can be a home for toxicants to reside. There is some evidence that alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) may work as a milder chelator of tissue-bound copper. Alpha lipoic acid is also being researched for chelating other heavy metals, such as mercury. Aquatic life
Too much copper in water may damage marine and freshwater organisms such as fish and molluscs.