| Gastrointestinal Effects Associated with Soluble and Insoluble Copper in Drinking Water Fernando Pizarro,1 Manuel Olivares,1 Magdalena Araya,1 Virginia Gidi,2 and Ricardo Uauy1 1Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INTA), Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; 2Office of International and Refugee Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, Maryland, USA Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine whether total copper or soluble copper concentration is associated with gastrointestinal signs and symptoms. Forty-five healthy adult women (18-55 years of age) , living in Santiago, Chile, ingested tap water with 5 mg/L of copper containing different ratios of soluble copper (copper sulfate) and insoluble copper (copper oxide) over a 9-week period. Three randomized sequences of the different copper ratios (0:5, 1:4, 2:3, 3:2, and 5:0 mg/L) were followed. Subjects recorded their water consumption and gastrointestinal symptoms daily on a special form. Mean water consumption was similar among groups. Serum copper levels, ceruloplasmin, and activities of liver enzymes were within normal limits. No differences were detected between the means of biochemical parameters at the beginning and at the end of the study. Twenty subjects presented gastrointestinal disturbances at least once during the study, 9 suffered diarrhea (with or without abdominal pain and vomiting) , and the other 11 subjects reported abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting. No differences were found in incidence of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea regardless of the ratio of copper sulfate to copper oxide. In conclusion, both copper sulfate (a soluble compound) and copper oxide (an insoluble compound) have comparable effects on the induction of gastrointestinal manifestations, implying that similar levels of ionic copper were present in the stomach. Key words: drinking water, gastrointestinal symptoms, insoluble copper, ionic copper. Environ Health Perspect 109:949-952 (2001) . [Online 28 August 2001] http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2001/109p949-952pizarro/ abstract.html Address correspondence to F. Pizarro, Casilla 138-11, Santiago, Chile. Telephone: 56-2-6781481. Fax: 56-2-2214030. E-mail: fpizarro@uec.inta.uchile.cl We thank M. González for his critical review of the manuscript and C. Peña for her valuable contribution in the measurement of ionic copper. This study was supported by the Copper Risk Assessment Research Program in Chile, managed by the Chilean Center for Mining and Metallurgy Research (CIMM) and the International Copper Association in the form of an unrestricted research grant. Received 16 January 2001 ; accepted 16 March 2001.
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