Copper

Copper

Copper is an essential trace element for plant metabolism as well as the human diet, with a daily requirement of around 2.0 mg. Due to its malleability, thermal and electrical conductivity, and corrosion resistance, copper is also used in a variety of industrial and technological applications. Copper may also be present in natural water and effluents due to widespread use to control biological growths in reservoirs and distribution pipes.

The amount of copper in a sample can be determined colorimetrically and potentiometrically with a cupric ISE. Colorimetrically the bicinchoninate method can be used with copper in the sample reacting with a salt of bicinchoninic acid forming a purple colored complex. The color intensity of the sample is proportional to the copper concentration in the sample. The cupric ISE is a solid-state sensor that can measure copper in the cupric (Cu⁺²) form. The cupric ISE can be used as an indicator in complexometric titrations with metals using a Cu-EDTA titrant.

Hanna Instruments offers a variety of technologies to measure Copper. Colorimetrically spectrophotometers, photometers and Chemical Test Kits (CTK) are available. For a potentiometric measurement, portable and benchtop pH/ISE meters are available to use with the copper ISE for direct ion-concentration measurements. Potentiometric titration systems are available that can be used for direct measurement or for titration.