Copper in the Urban Water Cycle

Abstract

Increasingly stringent regulation of wastewater effluents has forced environmental engineers to carefully evaluate the role of copper in the urban water cycle on a case by case basis. To aid these efforts and to serve as a source of background information, this work synthesizes the available literature on sources of copper in the urban environment, their benefits and detriments, sinks, and the basis for copper regulations in the U.S. and abroad. It is anticipated that this review supports rational and holistic planning whenever control of copper in the urban water cycle is considered.