My lead/copper test results

[brodywx]

I had my first batch of product tested for copper and lead levels. The initial shine was only 73% (pretty bad since I was trying for a neutral). I had to dilute it to approx. 5% to do the tests.

The results were:
Copper 0.265 mg/L. 256 ppb. .001 (nominal detection limit)
Lead. 0.0038 mg/L. 3.8 ppb. .0001

Adjusting for a 40% dilution in a vodka product I'd have:
Copper. 2.120 mg/L. +\-10%
Lead. 0.0304 mg/L. +\-10%


Conclusion:
The lead and copper levels appear to be high, but unless a person is drinking half a liter a day of this moonshine I don't think it would be an issue; however that doesn't make it acceptable.
According to the goverment of Canada, the average copper intake per day from water is 0.264 mg. Based purely on this, and assuming a person drank moonshine as a water replacement then the maximum amount of this moonshine (40%) aloud, per day, is 125 mL, or about 3 shots.


Info on Lead

The maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) for lead in drinking water is 0.010 mg/L (10 µg/L). It is recommended that faucets be flushed before water is taken for analysis or consumption.

...

Exposure

Lead is present in tap water as a result of dissolution from natural sources or from household plumbing systems containing lead in pipes, solder or service connections to homes. The amount of lead from the plumbing system that may be dissolved depends upon several factors, including the acidity (pH), water softness and standing time of the water, with soft, acidic water being most plumbosolvent.8 Lead concentrations in untreated water were generally less than 1 µg/L in 71 Canadian municipalities in two national surveys conducted in 1976 and 1977.9,10 Mean levels in tap water samples taken after three to five minutes of flushing (to remove any standing water) were below 1 µg/L (range £1 to 65 µg/L) in the two national surveys and 4 µg/L (range £1 to 48 µ/L) in 64 municipalities in surveys conducted in Ontario between 1981 and 1985.11 The concentration of lead determined from integrated monitoring of all tap water used in the kitchens of 18 homes in Montreal ranged from 0.25 to 2.76 µg/L, with a median of 0.65 µg/L.12 The median level of lead in drinking water samples collected in five Canadian cities during a duplicate diet study was 2.0 µg/L.13 In a recent study in Ontario, the concentration of lead in water actually consumed was determined using a composite sampler in 40 homes at seven locations.14 The average concentration of lead over a one-week sampling period ranged from 1.1 to 30.7 µg/L, with a median level of 4.8 µg/L. The results of this study are considered to be the most realistic estimate of the intake of lead from drinking water. Using the median concentration of 4.8 µg/L and daily drinking water consumption of 1.5 L for an adult and 0.6 L for a child, the average daily consumption of lead from drinking water is 7.2 µg for an adult and 2.9 µg for a child.

There's a really good table on the page that I can't copy and paste, but it shows the total intake and uptake of lead in adults to be 63.7 micrograms/day INTAKE and 6.7 micrograms/day UPTAKE.

The largest source coming from food, with water a distant 2nd

...

Because lead is classified in Group IIIB, the MAC for lead in drinking water is derived from the ADI as follows:
the equation used for calculating the maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) for lead in drinking water.

MAC = {0.0035 mg/kg bw per day * 13.6 kg bw * 0.098} / 0.6 L/d = 0.008 mg/L


where:

0.0035 mg/kg bw per day is the ADI, as derived above
13.6 kg bw is the average body weight of a two-year-old child
0.098 is the proportion of total daily intake allocated to drinking water, taken from Table 1, showing recent average intake data.14 Intake of lead from sources other than water has decreased substantially over the last few years because of the phasedown of the use of lead-soldered cans in the food industry and the phaseout of lead additives in gasoline, processes that are now almost complete
0.6 L/d is the average daily water consumption for a two-year-old child.127

The PQL for routine analysis of lead in drinking water is 1 to 10 µg/L, depending on other compounds that may also be present in some water supplies. Because the MAC should be measurable and achievable at reasonable cost, the MAC selected is 10 µg/L, or 0.010 mg/L, based on this PQL.

Because the MAC for lead is based on chronic effects, it is intended to apply to average concentrations in water consumed for extended periods; short-term consumption of water containing lead at concentrations above the MAC does not necessarily pose undue risk to health.

In order to minimize exposure to lead introduced into drinking water from plumbing systems, it is also recommended that only the cold water supply be used, after an appropriate period of flushing to rid the system of standing water, for analytical sampling, drinking, beverage preparation and cooking.

reference: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/wa ... eng.php#a3

Info on Copper

Adverse Effects

Acute copper poisoning is rare in higher mammals owing to the potent emetic action of copper. In humans, acute copper toxicity has usually been associated with accidental consumption; symptoms include a metallic taste in the mouth, nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, diarrhoea, jaundice, haemolysis, haemoglobinuria, haematuria, and oliguria. In severe cases, the stool and saliva may appear green or blue; in the terminal phases, anuria, hypotension, and coma precede death.(17,33)

Ingestion of more than 15 mg of copper has been reported to be toxic to humans.(34) In a survey of human clinical case studies, 5.3 mg/day was the lowest oral dose at which local gastrointestinal irritation was seen.(35,36) Ingestion of gram quantities of copper sulphate resulted in death by suicide, whereas less severe effects were reported from estimated copper doses of 40 to 50 mg from ingestion of carbonated beverages in contact with copper containers.(8)

Limited data are available on the chronic toxicity of copper. The hazard from dietary intakes of up to 5 mg/day appears to be low.(8) Two groups are at increased risk from the toxic effects of chronic ingestion of high doses: individuals with glucose-6-phosphate (G-6P) dehydrogenase deficiencies, and individuals with Wilson's disease, an inborn error of copper metabolism in which copper accumulates in the brain, liver, and kidney.(28) An infant who was fed water containing copper at 6.8 mg/L for 14 months was reported to have died, but it was not known whether he suffered from one of the genetic conditions mentioned above.(8)

...
Recommended Daily Intake

The World Health Organization has recommended a daily intake of 30 µg/kg body weight per day (or 2.1 mg/day) for an adult male and 80 µg/kg body weight per day for infants.(41) These recommendations were based on balance studies in children and adults, including studies on intakes required to equal the daily copper loss through metabolism and excretion. The recommendations for adults are similar to those (2 to 3 mg/day) of the National Academy of Sciences. Intakes as low as 5.3 mg/day have been reported to be mildly toxic, but most reports of toxicity involve intakes of 15 mg/day or more.

reference: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/wa ... ex-eng.php

[Prairiepiss]

Maybe I missed something. Is there a reason you feel you needed to test for copper and lead? Something in your still that is questionable? And why a copper test? I thought copper was inert?

[rad14701]

Good information, brodywx, but do you know what the acceptable limits are for comparisons sake, as well as what is normally found in ground water or other potable liquids...??? The more data we have for comparison the better it will be for the membership at large... Thanks for sharing...

[brodywx]

Thanks rad. Yes, I will add information about limits. I'm just posting from my phone and it's tough to gather the info right now. I will hopefully update in the near future.

Prairiepiss - copper is not inert, your probably thinking that because the metal doesn't oxidize very easily; however it is harmful if ingested in certain amounts. And i think the levels in my alcohol might be high, but I have to check with a reference.

[Bull Rider]

What was the process for getting your product tested? Cost? I'd like to send in a sample or two. I have an old copper boiler that the solder tests lead free. I'm thinking of selling the still, and would like to have the tests done before I sell. Thanks.


Bull.

[brodywx]

What was the process for getting your product tested? Cost? I'd like to send in a sample or two. I have an old copper boiler that the solder tests lead free. I'm thinking of selling the still, and would like to have the tests done before I sell. Thanks.


Bull.

It took me a long time to find a place to do it. You can try calling local enviromental testing labs that would normally run quality tests on drinking water or soil samples. Make sure to ask what percentage alcohol they can handle, cause they probably aren't used to running alcohol samples, which apparenly can damage certain equipment. The folks who tested for me said they could only work with <5% abv.

For both tests it cost me a total of $45

You could maybe find DIY tests, like they use for testing well water, but I don't know how accurate they are or if they work with alcohol.

[tafinaf]

And why a copper test? I thought copper was inert?

Surprising as it may sound, copper is actually toxic. So is oxygen, by the way. Everything is toxic, it's just a matter of dosage. I don't recall right now who said it first.

But seriously, look it up. Copper, especially in a dissolved form, is deadly toxic to aquatic organisms and can be harmful even to mammals such as you. A long time exposure to high doses of lead can seriously harm you, but even a single exposure to a high dose of copper can kill you.

[Coaster]

Copper is indispensable to human health. Its many functions include the following: helping to form hemoglobin in the blood; facilitating the absorption and use of iron so that red blood cells can transport oxygen to tissues; assisting in the regulation of blood pressure and heart rate; strengthening blood vessels, bones, tendons, and nerves; promoting fertility; and insuring normal skin and hair pigmentation. Some evidence suggests that copper helps prevent cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure and heart arrythmias and that it may help treat arthritis and scoliosis. Copper may also protect tissue from damage by free radicals, support the body's immune function, and contribute to preventing cancer.

Most adults get enough copper from a normal, varied diet, although supplementing with a high-quality multinutrient supplement insures adequate intake. Seafood and organ meats are the richest sources of copper. Molasses, nuts, seeds, green vegetables, black pepper, and cocoa, among others, also contain significant quantities. Excess calcium and zinc will interfere with copper absorption, but a true copper deficiency is rare and tends to be limited to people either with certain inherited diseases that inhibit copper absorption, such as albinism, or with acquired malabsorption ailments, such as Crohn's Disease and celiac disease. Deficiencies may also occur in infants who are not breast-fed and some premature babies.

Symptoms of copper deficiency include brittle, discolored hair; skeletal defects; anemia; high blood pressure; heart arrythmias; and infertility. Taking more than 10 mg of copper daily can bring on nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, and stomach aches. Women who are pregnant or taking birth control pills are susceptible to excess blood levels of copper. Some research suggests that high levels of copper and iron may play a role in hyperactivity and autism.

Recommended Dietary Allowances: Adults, 1.5 mg to 3 mg

[zwinzilious]

Thinking in respective terms, what can be established as safe, and what can be established as dangerous? Perhaps this can be best explained for all, by presenting clear examples and ratios. Because if subject A wants to get poisoned dead with copper, perhaps explaining that subject A would first die of caffeine poisoning 10,000 times by drinking 100,000 pots of coffee, before terminal amounts of coffee copper may kill them.

[rad14701]

Thinking in respective terms, what can be established as safe, and what can be established as dangerous? Perhaps this can be best explained for all, by presenting clear examples and ratios. Because if subject A wants to get poisoned dead with copper, perhaps explaining that subject A would first die of caffeine poisoning 10,000 times by drinking 100,000 pots of coffee, before terminal amounts of coffee copper may kill them.

The quick and dirty answer is that no amount of lead is safe lead... Once introduced to the body there is no natural way for lead to be removed... It has a cumulative effect... Copper, on the other hand, does not have the same long term cumulative effect... It takes excessive amounts over the short term to cause problems and build-ups dissipate over time...