Daily Wire Tip Oct. 30: Does Copper Wire Have Arsenic?
Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
October 30, 2009
Question:
"I just saw an ad saying that copper wire has arsenic and is very deadly. Then I read that copper has a healing feature for arthritic conditions. Which is correct?
Answer:
Your question concerned me to the point of doing some extensive research to share with you. Copper is an important part of many things we use every day, including coins, electricity, some plumbing and the human body! (About 0.0004% of body weight is copper and as a trace element we absorb it through foods like liver, nuts, shellfish and beans).
Only extremely pure copper (greater than 99.95%) is used as electrical copper in the forms equipment and wire, and cannot contain arsenic, as the impurity would disrupt the electrical sensitivity.
To find some definitive answers, I went directly to the CDC, who says this about arsenic: “Arsenic (As) is a metal-like material usually found in the environment combined with other elements. Arsenic when combined with carbon and hydrogen is referred to as organic arsenic. Arsenic combined with other elements such as oxygen, chlorine, and sulphur is referred to as inorganic arsenic. The organic forms of As are usually less harmful than the inorganic forms. Inorganic As occurs naturally in many kinds of rocks, especially those containing copper and lead ores. The main use of arsenic is as a wood preservative to make the wood resistant to rotting and decay. Arsenic is also used as an ingredient in insecticides and herbicides. Arsenic is not broken-down or destroyed in the environment, but it will readily change from one chemical form to another by natural chemical reactions.
Most arsenic-induced toxicity in humans is due to exposure to inorganic arsenic. In the United States the average adult consumes 0.05 mg/day of arsenic in their diet. Food is usually the largest source of arsenic exposure in humans.”
The only information I found about copper jewelry containing arsenic is: “Tombac, tombak or Tambac is an alloy of copper and zinc (and sometimes arsenic) used to imitate gold in cheap jewelry and for gilding.”
Whereas you say the information that mentioned arsenic being present in copper wire was in an advertisement, my thought is that the ‘ad’ is meant to frighten people to stop using copper jewelry wire so whatever company or individual can sell whatever product they offer that is not copper! You should also know that copper is also present as an alloy in Brass, German Silver, Bronze and Sterling Silver jewelry wires too.
Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong"
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