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2016 Draft Estuarine/Marine Copper Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criteria

The draft criteria was released on July 29, 2016 for a 60-day public comment period. The draft document incorporates use of the saltwater biotic ligand model (BLM), a bioavailability model that relies on water quality input parameters to estimate copper criteria that is protective of aquatic life in estuarine/marine environments, and an updated toxicity database. Incorporation of the BLM allows users to account for individual water quality variables (temperature, pH, dissolved organic carbon, and salinity) that influence the bioavailability and toxicity of copper in estuarine/marine environments.

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