Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0558-0208
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2006-08-09T04:00Z

UNITED
STATES
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
AGENCY
WASHINGTON
D.
C.,
20460
OFFICE
OF
PREVENTION,
PESTICIDES
AND
TOXIC
SUBSTANCES
MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Addendum
to
the
Memorandum
"
Typical
Application
Information
for
Copper
Products
for
Algaecide,
Aquatic
Herbicide,
Molluscicide,
Leech,
and
Tadpole
Shrimp
Control
(
DP#
324176)"
(
DP#
328145)

FROM:
William
Phillips,
II,
Ph.
D.,
Agronomist
Biological
Analysis
Branch
Biological
and
Economic
Analysis
Division
(
7503C)

THRU:
Arnet
Jones,
Chief
Biological
Analysis
Branch
Biological
and
Economic
Analysis
Division
(
7503C)

TO:
Rosanna
Louie,
Chemical
Review
Manager
Reregistration
Branch,
RRB3
Special
Review
and
Reregistration
Division
(
7508C)

PRODUCT
REVIEW
PANEL:
April
26,
2006
SUMMARY
In
support
of
the
copper
re­
registration
eligibility
decision
(
RED),
BEAD
delivered
to
SRRD,
on
February
15,
2006,
a
memorandum
that
evaluated
the
typical
aquatic
use,
usage,
and
rates
of
copper
compounds.
In
this
February
memorandum
there
were
discussions
regarding
the
use
of
copper
compounds
for
the
control
of
organisms
that
either
harbor
other
toxic
organisms,
or
are
themselves
directly
toxic
to
humans.
This
memorandum
is
the
result
of
a
request
from
SRRD
for
additional
information
on
the
copper
compounds
used
to
control
the
organisms
identified
in
the
February
15,
2006
memorandum.
The
information
included
in
this
current
memorandum
will
be
used
by
SRRD
to
communicate
to
the
Center
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention
(
CDC)
the
extent
to
which
copper
compounds
have
uses
to
control
pathogens
that
may
result
in
human
diseases.
The
two
organisms
discussed
in
this
memorandum
are
fresh
water
snails
and
Cyanobacteria.
While
snails
themselves
are
not
toxic
to
humans,
within
the
United
States
they
are
a
host
to
a
trematode,
or
flat
microscopic
worm,
species
that
can
cause
Schistosomiasis
Cercaria
Dermatitis,
or
Swimmer's
Itch.
Another
organism,
Cyanobacteria
is
a
general
classification
that
contains
several
separate
genera
and
species
of
organisms
that
produce
toxic
chemical
compounds.
When
these
compounds
come
in
contact
with
human
skin,
or
are
ingested
or
inhaled
they
can
result
in
reactions
ranging
from
dermatitis
to
paralysis.
Copper
compounds
are
a
control
for
both
snails
and
Cyanobacteria.

Fresh
Water
Snails
&
Trematodes
Snails
can
act
as
an
intermediate
host
of
parasites,
including
trematodes.
In
the
United
States,
these
parasites
can
impact
humans
in
swimming
areas.
The
control
of
schistosome­
infected
snails
is
an
important
human
health
concern
in
many
states
including
Alaska,
Michigan,
Ohio,
and
Wisconsin,
among
other
northern
states
(
MDEQ,
1999).
Overall,
large­
scale
outbreaks
of
mollusk
pests
are
not
currently
an
issue,
but
local
outbreaks
of
these
pests
often
are.

In
the
United
States
some
snails
that
are
controlled
with
copper
compounds
are
those
that
are
infected
with
a
parasitic
trematode
worm
called
a
schistosome.
Schistosomes
are
associated
with
several
of
the
more
debilitating
human's
diseases
collectively
refered
to
as
schistosomiasis.
The
most
serious
forms
of
the
disease
do
not
occur
in
the
United
States
since
the
Schistosomes
in
the
genus
schistosoma
are
not
present.
However,
the
trematode
Proterometra
macrostoma
is
prevalent
in
the
United
States
especially
in
areas
around
the
Great
Lakes
(
MDEQ
2006).
P.
macrostoma
is
a
parasitic
schistosome
that
can
result
in
Schistosomiasis
Cercaria
Dermatitis,
or
Swimmer's
Itch.
The
larval
form
of
P.
macrostoma
schistome
is
a
flatworm
called
a
cercaria
(
CDC,
2006a).
The
larvae
penetrate
the
skin
of
a
host
where
it
completes
its
lifecycle
in
the
host's
blood
stream
and/
or
liver
(
CDC,
2006b).
On
occasions,
humans
will
come
into
contact
with
these
cercaria,
upon
which
the
larvae
will
penetrate
their
epidermis
(
CDC,
2006a).
Once
in
human
skin,
the
larvae
is
not
able
to
get
into
the
blood
stream,
thus
the
lifecycle
cannot
continue
as
it
would
in
the
regular
avian
host;
the
result
is
death
of
the
organism.
During
the
time
of
the
penetration/
infection,
humans
will
develop
the
Schistosomiasis
Cercaria
Dermatitis
(
MDEQ,
1999).

Given
the
current
disarray
of
the
copper
compound
labels,
a
representative
sample
of
labels
was
evaluated
and
none
were
specific
as
to
the
genus
and/
or
species
of
the
target
snail
pest.
The
only
identifiers
as
to
the
pest
to
be
treated
with
the
copper
compounds
were
occasional
references
to
fresh­
water
snails.
The
control
of
schistosome­
infected
snails
with
copper
sulfate
is
labeled
at
a
rate
of
1
to
1.5
ppm
copper
element,
for
a
maximum
of
two
applications
per
season.
To
control
these
snails
the
application
of
copper
sulfate
crystals
can
be
applied
to
the
shoreline
or
snail
beds
of
swimming
areas.
Direct
water
applications
can
also
be
made
using
broadcast
methods
(
to
include
aerial)
or
by
using
an
under
water
dispenser.
For
potable
water
reservoirs
the
rate
is
not
to
exceed
1.0
ppm
copper
element
(
Phillips
and
Zinn
2006).
Cyanobacteria
Cyanobacteria
are
a
group
of
single
celled
prokaryotic
organisms
that
have
both
characteristics
of
algal
and
bacterial
cells,
but
are
more
closely
related
to
bacteria.
These
organisms
are
also
known
as
blue­
green
algae.
Cyanobacteria
can
be
found
around
the
world
in
fresh,
brackish,
or
marine
waters
(
CDC
2006c).
During
warm
periods
of
the
year,
in
waters
where
nutrient
concentrations
are
high,
these
organisms
can
"
Bloom"
or
proliferate
rapidly
resulting
in
an
increased
risk
of
animal
and
human
exposure
(
CDC
2006d).

Toxins
that
are
produced
by
these
organisms
are
harmful
to
humans
and
animals
when
ingested
and/
or
inhaled
(
NOVA
2006).
Some
of
the
toxins
found
in
members
of
the
group
of
Cyanobacteria
can
range
from
skin
irritants
to
compounds
that
can
cause
paralysis
to
a
human
(
IDNR
2006).
In
addition
these
toxins
are
classified
as
hepatotoxins,
neurotoxins,
and
chromosomes
decouplers.
In
the
case
of
the
toxin
Cylindrospermopsin,
the
acute
effects
to
humans
include
headache,
vomiting,
chromosome
breakage,
and/
or
a
swollen
liver
(
CDC
2006c).
Recently,
in
order
"[
t]
o
prioritize
toxins,
EPA
held
an
expert
workshop
which
listed
microcystin­
LR,
LA,
RR,
and
YR,
cylindrospermopsin,
and
anatoxin­
a
as
the
most
important
algal
toxins
in
the
United
States"
(
EPA
2006).
However,
these
compounds
are
only
on
a
" 
Contaminant
Candidate
List
for
consideration
for
possible
future
regulation"
(
EPA
2006).
These
compounds
are
well
recognized
in
Australia
as
toxins,
and
as
a
result
concern
about
their
effects
on
humans
is
important
enough
for
the
EPA
to
begin
looking
for
analytical
techniques
for
their
detection
(
EPA
2006).

The
control
of
Cyanobacteria
is
important
from
a
human
health
perspective.
Currently
there
are
several
copper
products
that
control
these
organisms.
Some
of
these
products
control
the
different
genera
and
species
to
various
degrees.
In
general,
if
properly
applied,
copper
compounds
are
efficacious
on
a
wide
array
of
Cyanobacteria
as
well
as
algae
(
WSSA
1998).
Cyanobacteria
can
be
controlled
using
concentrations
of
0.2
to
1.0
ppm
of
copper
element.
The
average
annual
number
of
copper
applications
is
two
to
four;
these
applications
are
dependant
on
pest
species
and
environmental
factors
that
effect
pest
growth
(
Phillips
and
Zinn
2006).
The
wide
rate
range
is
predicated
on
the
range
in
toxicity
of
copper
to
the
various
genera
within
the
Cyanobacteria
group
(
Phillips
and
Zinn
2006).
REFERENCES
CDC.
2004.
Parasites
and
Health:
Schistosomiasis.
Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention.
http://
www.
dpd.
cdc.
gov/
DPDx/
HTML/
Schistosomiasis.
htm
CDC.
(
Accessed
2006a).
Fact
Sheet:
Cercarial
Dermatitis.
Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention.
http://
www.
cdc.
gov/
ncidod/
dpd/
parasites/
cercarialdermatitis/
factsht_
cercarialdermatitis.
htm
CDC.
(
Accessed
2006b).
Fact
Sheet:
Schistosomiasis.
Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention.
http://
www.
cdc.
gov/
ncidod/
dpd/
parasites/
schistosomiasis/
factsht_
schistosomiasis.
htm
CDC.
(
Accessed
2006c).
Facts
About
Cyanobacteria
&
Cyanabacterial
Harmful
Algal
Bloom.
Department
of
Health
and
Human
Services,
Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention,
National
Center
for
Environmental
Health,
Division
of
Environmental
Hazards
&
Health
Effects.
http://
www.
cdc.
gov/
hab/
cyanobacteria/
facts.
htm
CDC.
(
Accessed
2006d).
Fact
Sheet:
About
Cyanobacteria.
Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention.
http://
www.
cdc.
gov/
hab/
cyanobacteria/
factsheet.
pdf
EPA.
2006.
Ground
Water
&
Drinking
Water:
Laboratory
Studies
Currently
Being
Conducted.
http://
www.
epa.
gov/
OGWDW/
methods/
current.
html
IDNR.
2006.
Frequently
Asked
Questions
on
Cylindrospermopsis
and
Other
Potential
Toxin­
Producing
Blus­
GreenAlgae
In
Indiana
Waters.
Indiana
Department
of
Natural
Resources.
http://
www.
in.
gov/
dnr/
fishwild/
fish/
cylind.
htm
MDEQ.
1999.
Swimmer's
Itch
in
Michigan.
www.
deq.
state.
mi.
us/
documents/
deq­
waterillm
itchbrochure.
pdf
NOVA.
2006.
NOVA:
Science
In
The
News.
Toxic
Algal
Blooms­
A
Sign
of
Rivers
Under
Stress.
Australian
Academy
of
Sciences.
http://
www.
science.
org.
au/
nova/
017/
017print.
htm#
box
2
Phillips,
II,
W.,
N.
Zinn.
2006.
Typical
Applications
Information
for
Copper
Products
for
Algaecide,
Aquatic
Herbicide,
Molluscicide,
Leech,
and
Tadpole
Shrimp
Control).
United
States
Environmental
Protection
Agency.
DP#
324176.

WSSA.
1998.
Evaluation
of
Copper
Algaecides
for
The
Control
of
Algae
and
Cyanobacteria,
Synopsis.
Report
No.
WSSA
130.
Weed
Science
Society,
Champaign,
IL.
http://
www.
fwr.
org/
wsaa/
wsaa130.
htm