ICA Copper in the Environment
Copper is a natural element – a metal that has been one of mankind’s most
useful and valuable materials since time immemorial. It is represented by the
chemical symbol Cu and the atomic number 29.
Copper is also an essential nutrient that is required by virtually all higher life
forms. A natural element in the earth’s crust, copper has been incorporated
into living organisms throughout the evolutionary process. Without copper,
life as we know it would be impossible for most of earth’s organisms.
Nature, in its myriad forms, is exceedingly well adapted to making best use of
copper and protecting itself from any negative effects. This holds true at the
most basic level of chemical reactions, right up to the most complex metabolic
functions of the human body.
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