What Are the Properties of Copper?

Copper is a transition element, chemical symbol Cu, English copper, atomic number 29. Pure copper is a soft metal. When the surface is just cut, it is red-orange with metallic luster, and the element is purple-red. It has good ductility, high thermal and electrical conductivity, so it is the most commonly used material in cables and electrical and electronic components. It can also be used as a building material and can form a variety of alloys. Copper alloys have excellent mechanical properties and low electrical resistivity. Among the most important are bronze and brass. In addition, copper is also a durable metal that can be recycled multiple times without compromising its mechanical properties.

Humans have used copper and its alloys for thousands of years. The main mining area of copper in ancient Rome was

Commonly used in the laboratory

Common valence states for copper are +1 and +2.

Copper is a non-ferrous metal with a close relationship with human beings.

Introduction to Copper

Copper ions (copper) are essential elements for living things, whether they are animals or plants. The lack of copper in the body can cause anemia, abnormal hair, abnormal bones and arteries, and even brain disorders. But in excess, it can cause cirrhosis, diarrhea, vomiting, dyskinesia, and sensory neurological disorders. In general, beef, sunflower seeds, cocoa, black pepper, goat liver, etc. are rich in copper.

Copper is an essential trace mineral for the human body. It can enter the blood within 15 minutes after ingestion. It also exists inside and outside the red blood cells. It can help transferrin and play an important role in catalysis in the formation of heme. And in the process of food cooking, copper element is not easy to be destroyed.

Copper is widely distributed in biological tissues, most of which exist as organic complexes, many of which are metal proteins, which play a functional role in the form of enzymes. Each copper-containing protein enzyme has its clear physiological and biochemical effects. Many of the electron transfer and redox reactions involving oxygen in biological systems are catalyzed by copper-containing enzymes, which are vital to life processes.

Of course, copper as a heavy metal can be harmful if taken in excess. Copper ions can denature proteins. For example, copper sulfate has a stimulating effect on the gastrointestinal tract, which can cause nausea, vomiting, copper smell in the mouth, and burning sensation. Severe cases include abdominal cramps, vomiting blood, and melena. Can cause severe kidney damage and hemolysis, jaundice, anemia, hepatomegaly, hemoglobinuria, acute renal failure, and uremia. Irritating to eyes and skin. Long-term exposure can cause contact dermatitis, irritation of the nose and eye mucosa, and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Demand for copper human body

Adults need 0.05 to 2 milligrams of copper a day, and pregnant, maternal, young, and juvenile (adolescent food) needs more. The copper content of a baby born at term is about 16 mg, which is much higher than an adult by unit weight. About 70% of it is concentrated in the liver. It can be seen that the fetal liver is an organ with extremely high copper content. . From the beginning of pregnancy, the copper content of the fetus has increased sharply. From the 200th day of pregnancy to birth, the copper content has increased about 4 times. Therefore, the second trimester is the period when the fetus absorbs most copper, and premature babies are susceptible to copper deficiency. Copper concentration in pregnant women gradually increases during pregnancy, which may be related to increased estrogen levels in the fetus when it grows. Under normal circumstances, pregnant women do not need additional copper supplements, excessive copper can cause teratogenic effects.

The Chinese Nutrition Society does not set a daily copper requirement, but has established a "safe and appropriate intake" of daily copper. Babies require 0.5 to 0.7 milligrams per day before the age of half, and 0.7 to 2.5 days per day. 1.0 mg per day, 1.0-1.5 mg per day over 1 year old, 1.5-2.0 mg per day over 4 years old, 2.0-2.5 mg per day over 7 years old, and 2.0-3.0 mg per day over 11 years old and young adults. This intake is comparable to the "estimated safe and adequate copper intake in the daily diet" developed by the American Scientific Research Council.

Copper is closely related to human health. The human body consumes various trace elements every day, and copper is one of the indispensable metal elements in the human body. In adults, copper content is about 1.4 mg to 2.1 mg per kilogram of body weight; copper content in blood is about 1.0 mg to 1.5 mg. Although this amount is small, it is indispensable for maintaining physical health and normal functioning of organs. This is because copper has a special role in the operation of the body. Copper is an important part of proteins and enzymes in the body. Many important enzymes require the participation and activation of trace amounts of copper. For example, copper can catalyze the synthesis of hemoglobin. Studies have shown that copper deficiency can increase plasma cholesterol and increase the risk of atherosclerosis, which is an important factor in coronary heart disease. Scientists have also discovered that nutritional anemia, vitiligo, osteoporosis, gastric cancer and esophageal cancer are also related to copper deficiency. Severe copper deficiency and long-term marginal copper deficiency can also cause dysplasia in children and some endemic diseases.

Cu Cu absorption and excretion

absorb

Absorption rate is 30% to 40%. The stomach, duodenum and upper part of the small intestine are the main absorption sites of copper, and its intestinal absorption is an active absorption process. The transporter of copper ions inside and outside the membrane is ATPase, which relies on phosphorylation of aspartic acid residues to supply energy. It can combine actively absorbed copper with albumin in the collateral circulation of the portal vein and transport it to the liver for further metabolism.

excretion

Copper is mainly excreted through bile. Bile contains low-molecular and high-molecular-weight copper-binding compounds. The former is mostly in liver bile, while the latter is mostly in gallbladder bile. Copper can enter bile through exocytosis of lysosomes or copper transfer of ATPase. Copper in bile can also be the result of the breakdown of copper-binding proteins present in bile by lysosomes of liver cells. Most of the copper in the plasma is combined with aeruginin or is present in renal cells, rarely glomerular filtration. Under normal circumstances, the copper content in urine is very small. Copper urine occurs when copper excretion, storage, and ceruloplasmin are imbalanced.

The role of copper in the human body

Copper is an indispensable micronutrient for human health. It has important effects on the development and function of blood, central nervous system and immune system, hair, skin and skeletal tissue, as well as brain, liver and heart. Copper is mainly taken from the daily diet. The World Health Organization recommends that to maintain health, adults should consume 0.03 mg of copper per kilogram of body weight per day. Pregnant women and infants should be doubled. Copper deficiency can cause various diseases and can be supplemented with copper-containing supplements and pills.

The content of copper in the human body is about 100-150 mg, and the normal value of serum copper is 100-120 g / dl, which is the second essential trace element in the human body. Copper-containing enzymes include tyrosinase, monoamine oxidase, superoxidase, superoxide dismutase, blood ceruloplasmin, and the like. Copper plays an active role in the formation of hemoglobin, promotes the absorption and utilization of iron, and is of great significance in the transfer of electrons, the synthesis of elastin, the metabolism of connective tissue, the metabolism of purines, the formation of phospholipids and nerve tissue.

Copper deficiency can cause diseases such as:

1. anemia

The most common clinical manifestations are dizziness, fatigue, fatigue, tinnitus, and dazzling. The skin, mucous membranes and nails are pale in color, feeling short of breath and palpitations after physical activity. In severe anemia, shortness of breath and palpitations occur even at rest, and soft systolic murmurs can be heard at the apex and bottom of the heart.

2. Bone changes.

Clinical manifestations are osteoporosis and prone to fracture.

3 Copper and coronary heart disease.

4 Copper and Vitiligo.

5. Female infertility.

1. Copper deficiency can make the nervous system's inhibition process dysfunctional, make the nervous system in an excited state and cause insomnia. Neurasthenia can occur over time.

The lack of copper in the human body can increase the intake of foods with high copper content, such as mushrooms, sea rice, black tea, scented tea, brick tea, hazelnut, sunflower seeds, sesame sauce, watermelon seeds, green tea, walnuts, black pepper, cocoa, liver, soy products .

Copper ions can be sterilized and sanitary. For example, it can kill bacteria such as Escherichia coli and dysentery that are easy to breed in water, remove molluscs such as scabies and snails that transmit schistosomiasis, and disease carriers such as mosquito larvae that spread malaria. It can also be used in swimming pools to prevent green algae pollution and infection of athlete's foot through the floor.

Copper is an essential trace element in the human body and plays an important role in the body's metabolism.

1 "Friends" of the brain Copper, like zinc and iron, is an important component of neurotransmitters in the brain. If inadequate intake can cause nervous system disorders, brain function can be impaired. Copper deficiency will reduce pigment oxidase in brain cells and reduce vitality, which will lead to memory decline, mental disturbance, slow response, and even gait instability and movement disorders. A healthy and flexible brain is inseparable from the beneficial friend of copper.

2 The "guard" of the heart When people blame the cause of heart disease solely on a fat, high cholesterol diet, American scientists remind people that the lack of copper must not be ignored. Copper element is involved in the synthesis of various metal enzymes in the human body. Among them, the oxidase is an essential substance in the formation of collagen and elastin, which is the matrix of the heart blood vessels. Collagen is a strong link between cardiovascular muscle cells. The fibrous component, elastin, has the function of promoting the elasticity of the heart and blood vessel walls. Therefore, once copper is deficient, the synthesis of such enzymes is reduced, and the cardiovascular system cannot maintain normal morphology and function, thereby giving the opportunity for coronary heart disease invasion.

3 The "assistant" of hematopoietics As we all know, iron is an important raw material for human hematopoietic. The mystery is that the iron in hemoglobin is trivalent iron ions, and the iron derived from food is divalent iron ions. The conversion of divalent iron ions into trivalent iron ions depends on the copper-containing active substance, plasma ceruloplasmin. Of oxidation. If copper is deficient in the body, the concentration of plasma ceruloplasmin will inevitably decrease, resulting in difficulty in the conversion of iron and induction of anemia.

4 "Rising Stars" to Assist Pregnancy Women of childbearing age can't do without copper. According to the obstetrician's research, it is difficult for women to conceive without copper. Even if they conceive, the thickness and toughness of the amniotic membrane will be weakened due to copper deficiency, leading to premature rupture of the amniotic membrane, which may cause abortion or fetal infection. Therefore, if a woman wants to think of a healthy and intelligent baby, she must also use the help of the copper element.

5 Anti-aging "experts" The aging of the human body is because the metabolic waste of free radicals in the body plays a considerable role, and it is the bane of many elderly diseases. Among them, the hydroxyl radical is the most toxic, which not only damages the cell membrane through lipid peroxidation, but also destroys the genetic material of the nucleus, leading to cell death. In addition, the activity of many important enzymes can be reduced or even disappeared. Studies have shown that copper-containing metallothionein, superoxide dismutase, etc. have a strong function of cleaning up this type of metabolic waste and protect human cells from harm. It can be seen that copper element plays an important role in anti-aging.

You can get good results. Experiments have proved that sufficient copper intake in the human body can accumulate more copper ions on the surface of the influenza virus that invades the human body, thereby providing an effective "target" for vitamins to attack the influenza virus. Vitamin C interacts with copper ions on the surface of the virus, forming an unstable compound containing reactive oxygen ions that can be separated, prompting the surface of the virus containing protein to rupture, and then putting the virus to death. To this end, experts refer to vitamin C and copper as the best "partners" in the fight against influenza.

6 "Ling Dan" for prevention and treatment of white hair Why are people's hair early? Copper deficiency in the body is an important cause. Copper deficiency can make the formation of tyrosinase in the body difficult, and the process of converting tyrosine to dopa is blocked. Dopa is a precursor of dopamine, and dopamine is an intermediate product of melanin, which eventually hinders the synthesis of melanin and causes the hair to turn white. For long-lasting black hair, supplementing the copper element is an effective way.

How to make copper? Increase foods rich in copper, such as animal liver, shrimp, beans, fresh meat, nuts, etc.

Copper is an indispensable trace element for the human body. Adults generally contain 70 to 100 mg of copper, with an average of 1.9 to 2.1 mg of copper per kilogram of body weight. Copper is found in all organs and tissues of people, and is usually combined with proteins or other organics, rather than in the form of free copper ions. The liver is the warehouse where copper is stored, with the highest copper content. The brain and heart also contain more copper. The copper content in healthy people's blood is 1.1 1.5mg / L, which changes with age, exercise and health.

Copper is an important component of proteins and enzymes in the body, such as ceruloplasmin, cytochrome, and C oxidase. Many key enzymes require the participation and activation of steel to have an effect on the body's metabolic processes and promote many functions of the human body. This is the main reason why such trace amounts of copper have a vital effect on life. For example: it helps to provide the energy required for the body's biochemical processes; it helps to form heme in the blood and affects the formation of skin pigments; it promotes the formation of cross-links in collagen and elastin to maintain and restore connective tissue; participates in glucose And cholesterol metabolism; affect the development of hair, skin, bones, and brain, as well as the functions of the heart, liver, central nervous system, and immune system.

In addition, certain copper-containing agents have anti-inflammatory and arthritic effects and have been used in some countries. It has been known for a long time that wearing copper has the effect of treating arthritis. This may be the result of the absorption of trace amounts of steel by sweat through the skin. The use of copper in radiology and in the treatment of spasms, epilepsy and gout is also being studied.

Copper deficiency is harmful to human health, and the effects of long-term marginal copper deficiency are subtle. It can cause dysplasia in infants and young children. In addition, "knee valgus" with bent knees is found in China, as well as in India, Tanzania, South Africa and other places, which is a typical symptom of copper deficiency. Analysis showed that the copper content in the deformed bone was significantly lower than normal.

It is worth noting that recent studies have found that copper deficiency is a factor that increases the incidence of coronary heart disease! Coronary heart disease is a common heart disease caused by insufficient blood supply to the heart due to blockage (atherosclerosis) caused by excessive deposition of blood in the walls of coronary arteries. Fat metabolism is sensitive to copper. Tests on rats have shown that copper deficiency can significantly increase plasma cholesterol, change the combination of cholesterol and lipoproteins, and increase the risk of atherosclerosis. It has also been found that copper deficiency can cause abnormal cardiac physiology in rats, which is similar to some conditions of human coronary heart disease, which further confirms the link between copper deficiency and coronary heart disease.

The potential toxicity of copper to the human body is very slight, and only when the intake greatly exceeds the normal value can it cause adverse reactions such as gastrointestinal disorders. The results show that when the daily intake of adult men and women exceeds 12 mg and 10 mg, respectively, it will have a slight impact on human biochemical processes.

In view of the low potential toxicity of copper, but it is an indispensable element of human health, the expert group of the World Health Organization has concluded that the harm of copper deficiency is far more toxic than copper. With the exception of some rare inheritances, people mainly prevent copper deficiency. Make sure you have enough copper in your diet to meet your body's needs. The survey results of the copper content in the dietary structure of developed countries in Europe and the United States have sounded the alarm to prevent copper deficiency. In fact, many people are already taking copper-containing tablets to supplement their nutrition.

Who should pay special attention to copper intake:

Pregnant women, babies and children

They need to consume more copper. Maintaining the balance of steel in the body is a major factor in determining the speed of growth of the fetus and infant and should be given special attention.

People with abnormal diet

Poorly-nourished residents in poor areas have difficulty living on their own (mainly the elderly and the disabled) or people with a eclipse habit, and their dietary structure is often unreasonable and easily affects their health due to copper deficiency.

some patients

Patients with chronic hepatitis who regularly receive hemodialysis and who have long relied on infusions to replace or supplement food should monitor their copper intake. In addition, some patients with metabolic disorders should also be aware of the potential effects of copper deficiency.

Genetic patients with severe copper metabolism abnormalities

Food sources of copper copper

In human blood, copper is the "assistant" to iron. Copper is absorbed mainly in the stomach and upper small intestine. After being absorbed in the intestine, copper enters human blood, and 80% of it is combined into plasma ceruloplasmin. The role of copper in the formation of hemoglobin is generally considered to promote the absorption of intestinal iron (iron foods) and release it from the storage of the liver and the reticuloendothelial system, so copper plays an important role in the formation of hemoglobin.

From the perspective of food commercialization, the effect of a small amount of copper on product quality is mainly in edible oils (oil foods) and foods containing unsaturated fats. Copper ions actually act as catalysts, causing food spoilage, discoloration and Some other reactions. Although these effects make the product unpopular in appearance, they usually do not cause poisoning and reduce the nutritional value of the food.

Rich sources of copper in food are tricholoma, sea rice, black tea, flower tea, brick tea, hazelnut, sunflower seed, sesame sauce, watermelon seed, green tea, walnut, black pepper, cocoa, liver and so on.

Good sources are crab meat, broad beans, mushrooms (fresh), green beans, cumin, black sesame, soy products, pine nuts, lobster, green beans, peanuts, soybeans, potato flour, laver, lotus seeds, kidney beans, shiitake mushrooms (shiitake mushroom food), Edamame, gluten, guttata, fennel, peas, yellow sauce, iron dishes, oatmeal, chestnuts, nuts, soy flour and wheat germ.