Copper oxychloride

Copper oxychloride	Last updated: 24/02/2026
(Also known as: dicopper chloride trihydroxide)

SUMMARY

A widely used copper fungicide. It has a low aqueous solubility and a low volatility. As a heavy metal, copper itself will not degrade in the environment. It is moderately toxic to mammals and most biodiversity

Hazard alerts

The following Pesticide Hazard Tricolour (PHT) alerts are based on the data in the tables below. An absence of an alert does not imply the substance has no implications for human health, biodiversity or the environment but just that we do not have the data to form a judgement. The alerts for Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) are based on applying the FAO/WHO (Type 1) and the PAN (Type II) criteria to PPDB data. Further details on the HHP indicators are given in the tables below. Neither the PHT nor the HHP hazard alerts take account of usage patterns or exposure, thus they do not represent risk.

PHT: Environmental fate	PHT: Ecotoxicity	PHT: Human health	Highly Hazardous Pesticide
Environmental fate Moderate alert: Drainflow: Slightly mobile	Ecotoxicity High alert: Daphnia chronic ecotoxicity: High	Human health Moderate alert: Mammals acute toxicity: Moderate; Mammals chronic toxicity: Moderate; Endocrine disruptor; Reproduction/development effects

GENERAL INFORMATION

Description

A protectant copper fungicide and bactericide used as a foliar spray

Example pests controlled

Leaf spot; Downy mildew

Example applications

Ornamentals; Beet crops; Olives; Grapes; Tomatoes

Efficacy & activity

Copper based products have been shown to be affective against many fungal pathogens in field trials

Appearance and life cycle

Taxonomic classification

GB regulatory status

GB COPR regulatory status

Approved

Date COPR inclusion expires

31/12/2027

GB LERAP status

Check label - may vary with formulation

EC Regulation 1107/2009 (repealing 91/414)

EC Regulation 1107/2009 status

Approved

Dossier rapporteur/co-rapporteur

France/Germany

Date EC 1107/2009 inclusion expires

30/06/2029

EU Candidate for substitution (CfS)

Yes - two 'Persistent-Bioaccumulative-Toxic' criteria

Listed in EU database

Yes

Approved for use (✓) under EC 1107/2009 in the following EU Member States

ATAustria	BEBelgium	BGBulgaria	CYCyprus	CZCzech Republic	DEGermany	DKDenmark	EEEstonia	ELGreece
	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓			✓
ESSpain	FIFinland	FRFrance	HRCroatia	HUHungary	IEIreland	ITItaly	LTLithuania	LULuxembourg
✓			✓	✓	✓			✓
LVLatvia	MTMalta	NLNetherlands	PLPoland	PTPortugal	RORomania	SESweden	SISlovenia	SKSlovakia
	✓		✓	✓	✓		✓	✓

Approved for use (✓) under EC 1107/2009 by Mutual Recognition of Authorisation and/or national regulations in the following EEA countries

ISIceland	NONorway

Additional information

Also used in

Egypt; Morocco; Japan

Chemical structure

Isomerism

None

Chemical formula

Cl₂Cu₂H₃O₃-

Canonical SMILES

O(Cl)Cl.[Cu+2]

Isomeric SMILES

International Chemical Identifier key (InChIKey)

CPOSXJRGXIJOHG-UHFFFAOYSA-I

International Chemical Identifier (InChI)

InChI=1S/2ClH.2Cu.3H2O/h2*1H;;;3*1H2/q;;2*+2;;;/p-5

2D structure diagram/image available?

Yes

General status

Biopesticide type

Fungicide

Substance groups

Inorganic compound

Minimum active substance purity

>569 6/Kg total copper

Known relevant impurities

EU 2018 dossier: May contain heavy metals including Pb, Cd, As, Ni, CO, Sb & Hg

Substance origin

Natural

Mode of action

Absorbed copper disrupts the enzyme systems of pathogens. Multi-site activity.

Substance source

Copper oxychloride occurs naturally in the mineral Atacamite

Uses

Crop protection

Target pests

Leaf spot; Downy mildew

Target host

Ornamentals; Beet crops; Olives; Grapes; Tomatoes

Farming system suitability

CAS RN

1332-40-7

Alternative/old CAS RN

1332-65-6

EC number

603-724-0

CIPAC number

44.602

US EPA chemical code

PubChem CID

18629822

CLP index number

No data found

Molecular mass

427.14

PIN (Preferred Identification Name)

dicopper(II) chloride trihydroxide

IUPAC name

dicopper chloride trioxide

CAS name

copper chloride hydroxide

Global Governance status: Listed (✓) under

UK Poisons List Order 1972	Rotterdam Convention	Montreal Protocol
XNo The Poisons List Order 1972	XNo Rotterdam Convention	XNo Montreal Protocol
Stockholm Convention	OSPAR	EU Water Framework Directive
XNo Stockholm Convention	XNo OSPAR	XNo EU Water Framework Directive

Relevant Environmental Water Quality Standards

Forever chemical

Highly Hazardous Pesticide (HHP)

Type I

Type II

Other status information

Herbicide Resistance Class (HRAC MoA class)

Not applicable

Herbicide Resistance Class (WSSA MoA class)

Not applicable

Insecticide Resistance Class (IRAC MoA class)

Not applicable

Fungicide Resistance Class (FRAC MOA class)

M01

Examples of recorded resistance

Physical state

Blue-green powder

Commercial

Property

Value

Availability status

Current

Introduction & key dates

Circa 1990, introduced

Example manufacturers & suppliers of products using this active now or historically

Headland
Unicrop
United Phosphorus
BASF
Rhone-Poulenc
Sandoz
Bayer CropScience
Spiess Urania Chemicals

Example products using this active

Headland Copper
Pere-col
Recop
Cupravit Bio Evoloution Copper Fungicide
Cupros

Formulation and application details

Usually supplied as a soluble concentrate or wettable powder that is mixed with water and applied as a spray

Commercial production

Produced commercially via various techniques including a reaction of metallic copper and copper II chloride in aqueous solution in the presence of a gas phase containing at least oxygen

Impact on climate of production and use

While there is no direct carbon footprint data for copper oxychloride itself, an estimate of emissions based on the carbon intensity of copper production can be produced. Data suggests that copper mining and refining emits approximately 4.1 tonnes CO₂e per tonne of copper. The synthesis of copper oxychloride, energy use, and waste handling adds further emissions but these are not separately reported in public databases.

ENVIRONMENTAL FATE

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Solubility - In water at 20 °C at pH 7 (mg l⁻¹)

1.19

Low

Solubility - In organic solvents at 20 °C (mg l⁻¹)

9.8

n-Hexane

Dichloromethane

8.2

Methanol

11.0

Toluene

Melting point (°C)

Decomposes before melting

Boiling point (°C)

Decomposes before boiling

Degradation point (°C)

240

Flashpoint (°C)

Octanol-water partition coefficient at pH 7, 20 °C

2.75 X 10⁰⁰

Calculated

Log P

0.44

Low

Fat solubility of residues

Solubility

Data type

Density (g ml⁻¹)

Dissociation constant pKa) at 25 °C

Not applicable

No dissociation

Vapour pressure at 20 °C (mPa)

0.00001

Low volatility

Henry's law constant at 25 °C (Pa m³ mol⁻¹)

Volatilisation as max % of applied dose lost

From plant surface

From soil surface

Maximum UV-vis absorption L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹

Acidic soln: 205nm=2850, 250nm=1461, 800nm=38, 290nm=260, 295nm=195

Surface tension (mN m⁻¹)

72.2

Degradation

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

General biodegradability

Not biodegradable

Soil degradation (days) (aerobic)

DT₅₀ (typical)

0.1

Non-persistent

DT₅₀ (lab at 20 °C)

0.1

Non-persistent

DT₅₀ (field)

0.1

Non-persistent

DT₉₀ (lab at 20 °C)

DT₉₀ (field)

DT₅₀ modelling endpoint

Note

EU 2018 dossier: Copper ion rapidly released in soil. Copper is a naturally occurring element and, as such, does not then degrade further. DT₅₀ of Cu >10,000 days

Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on plant matrix

Value

Note

Dissipation rate RL₅₀ (days) on and in plant matrix

Value

17.2

Note

Potato leaves, n=1

Aqueous photolysis DT₅₀ (days) at pH 7

Value

Stable

Note

Aqueous hydrolysis DT₅₀ (days) at 20 °C and pH 7

Value

Stable

Note

Water-sediment DT₅₀ (days)

Water phase only DT₅₀ (days)

Sediment phase only DT₅₀ (days)

Air degradation

As this parameter is not normally measured directly, a surrogate measure is used: ‘Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀’. Where data is available, this can be found in the Fate Indices section below.

Decay in stored produce DT₅₀

Soil adsorption and mobility

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Linear

K_d (mL g⁻¹)

Slightly mobile

K_oc (mL g⁻¹)

1000

Notes and range

Freundlich

K_f (mL g⁻¹)

K_foc (mL g⁻¹)

¹/_n

Notes and range

pH sensitivity

Known metabolites

None

ECOTOXICOLOGY

Terrestrial ecotoxicology

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

299

Rat

Moderate

Mammals - Short Term Oral NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)

Mammals - Long Term (Chronic) Oral NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)

4.0

Rat 2-yr as copper

Moderate

Birds - Acute LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

173

Colinus virginianus as copper

Moderate

Birds - Short term dietary LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)

333

Colinus virginianus

Birds - Chronic 21d NOEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)

Earthworms - Acute 14 day LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ dw soil)

> 489.6

Eisenia foetida

Moderate

Earthworms - Chronic NOEC, reproduction (mg kg⁻¹ dw soil)

< 40.5

Eisenia foetida as Cu 56 day

Moderate

Soil micro-organisms

Nitrogen mineralisation: No significant adverse effect
Carbon mineralisation: No significant adverse effect

Dose: 18.1 kg Cu/ha; 28 Day

Collembola

Acute LC₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

Chronic NOEC (mg kg⁻¹)

Non-target plants

Vegetative vigour ER₅₀ (g ha⁻¹)

Seedling emergence ER₅₀ (g ha⁻¹)

Honeybees (Apis spp.)

Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

44.3

Apis mellifera

Moderate

Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

12.1

Apis mellifera

Moderate

Unknown mode acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Chronic

Notes

Bumblebees (Bombus spp.)

Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Mason bees (Osmia spp.)

Contact acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Oral acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg bee⁻¹)

Other bee species (1)

Acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg insect⁻¹)

Mode of exposure

Other bee species (2)

Acute LD₅₀ (worst case from 24, 48 and 72 hour values - μg insect⁻¹)

Mode of exposure

Beneficial insects (Ladybirds)

Beneficial insects (Lacewings)

Beneficial insects (Parasitic wasps) as Mortality LR₅₀ g Cu/ha, Std lab test

3970

Aphidius rhopalosiphi

Low

Beneficial insects (Predatory mites) as Mortality LR₅₀ g Cu/ha, Std lab test

> 148900

Typhlodromus pyri

Low

Beneficial insects (Ground beetles)

Beneficial insects (Butterflies)

Contact

Notes

Oral

Notes

Aquatic ecotoxicology

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Temperate Freshwater Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

> 43.8

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Moderate

Temperate Freshwater Fish - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)

18.0

Danio rerio embryo

Low

Tropical Freshwater Fish - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Temperate Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

0.29

Daphnia magna

Moderate

Temperate Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Chronic 21 day NOEC (mg l⁻¹)

0.006

Daphnia magna

High

Tropical Freshwater Aquatic invertebrates - Acute 48 hour EC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Aquatic crustaceans - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Sediment dwelling organisms - Acute 96 hour LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

Sediment dwelling organisms - Chronic 28 day NOEC, static, water (mg l⁻¹)

Sediment dwelling organisms - Chronic 28 day NOEC, sediment (mg kg⁻¹)

59.5

Chironomus riparius as mg Cu/kg

Moderate

Aquatic Plants (free-floating, fonds growth, fresh) - 7 day (mg l⁻¹)

Aquatic plants (rooted, growth rate, fresh) - 14 day (mg l⁻¹)

Algae - Acute (growth rate, fresh; mg l⁻¹) (72 hr ErC₅₀, Static)

> 165.9

Raphidocelis subcapitata

Low

Algae - Chronic (growth rate, fresh; mg l⁻¹)

Mesocosm study data

NOEAEC mg l⁻¹

Marine bivalves

Regulatory Threshold Levels (RTLs)

Note: These RTLs have been calculated using the regulatory approach used in the European Union and based on ecotoxocity values in the PPDB.

Species group

RTL

Notes

Mammals

0.8

Worst case of acute and chronic mammals

Birds

17.3

Worst case of acute and chronic birds

Soil organisms

8.1

Worst case of acute and chronic earthworms

Terrestrial plants

No data

No data for non-target plants vegetative vigour and seedling emergence

Pollinators

0.242

Worst case of contact and oral honeybees

Arthropods

1985

Worst case of parasitic wasps and predatory mites

Fish

0.438

Worst case of temperate acute and chronic fish

Aquatic invertebrates

0.0006

Worst case of temperate acute and chronic aquatic invertebrates

Aquatic plants

16.59

Worst case of free-floating plants, rooted plants, acute and chronic algae

HUMAN HEALTH AND PROTECTION

General

Property

Value

Source; quality score; and other information

Interpretation

Threshold of Toxicological Concern (Cramer Class)

High (class III)

Mammals - Acute oral LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹)

299

Rat

Moderate

Mammals - Short Term Oral NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)

Mammals - Long Term (Chronic) Oral NOAEL (mg kg⁻¹ bw d⁻¹)

4.0

Rat 2-yr as copper

Moderate

Mammals - Dermal LD₅₀ (mg kg⁻¹ body weight)

> 2000

Rat

Mammals - Inhalation LC₅₀ (mg l⁻¹)

2.83

Rat (nose only)

Other Mammal toxicity endpoints

ADI - Acceptable Daily Intake (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

0.15

Dog SF=100

ARfD - Acute Reference Dose (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

None allocated

AAOEL - Acute Acceptable Operator Exposure Level (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

None allocated

AOEL - Acceptable Operator Exposure Level - Systemic (mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹)

0.072

Rat SF=30

Dermal penetration studies (%)

1-9

concentration dependent

Dangerous Substances Directive 76/464

List II

Exposure Routes

Public

Negligible risk to bystanders for proposed uses

Occupational

Acceptable risk to operators and workers for proposed uses with PPE/PPC

Mammalian dose elimination route and rate

Health issues

Specific human health issues (hazard-based)

Carcinogen

Genotoxic

Endocrine disruptor

No data found

; ; ; ;

Reproduction / development effects

Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor

Neurotoxicant

No data found

Respiratory tract irritant

Skin irritant

Skin sensitiser

Eye irritant

Phototoxicant

No data found

General human health issues

Potential heavy metal poisoning

Handling issues

Property

Value and interpretation

General

May emit toxic chlorine gas under certain conditions
Not explosive or oxidising
IMDG Transport Hazard Class 9
Not expected to auto-ignite; Not highly flammable

CLP classification 2013

Health: H302, H314, H315, H319, H332
Environment: H400, H410

WHO Classification

II (Moderately hazardous)

UN Number

UN3077

Waste disposal & packaging

Packaging Group III (minor danger)

Shelf-life, storage, stability and reactivity

Chemically stable under standard ambient conditions

TRANSLATIONS

Language

Name

English

copper oxychloride

French

cuivre de l'oxychlorure de cuivre

German

Kupferoxychlorid

Danish

kobberoxyklorid

Italian

ossicloruro di rame

Spanish

oxicloruro de cobre

Greek

Polish

tlenochlorek miedzi

Swedish

Hungarian

réz-oxiklorid

Dutch

Norwegian

Record last updated:	24/02/2026
Contact:	aeru@herts.ac.uk
Please cite as:	Lewis, K.A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. and Green, A. (2016) An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 22(4), 1050-1064. DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2015.1133242

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