The excretion of copper in urine and faeces and its relation to the copper content of the diet

Abstract

IN a previous paper the present writer [1934] described a method for the de- termination of copper in blood. The reaction employed was the formation of a yellow-coloured complex of copper with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate which could be extracted with amyl alcohol. The amyl alcohol layer was removed and compared in a colorimeter with a standard similarly prepared. This reaction is extremely sensitive, it being possible to detect 1 part of copper in 10 million parts of solution. Using this technique human blood was found to contain 0.185-0-230 mg. Cu per 100 ml.