a scientific concept developed by International Copper Association that explains and predicts how the toxicity of a material depends on external factors. For environmental toxicity, the focus has been on transformation and dissolution of a material in water, which releases dissolved metal ions, and on toxicity modifying factors such as the acidity, hardness, and dissolved organic carbon concentration of the water.
note: This method has been accepted for environmental hazard classification of metals and inorganic substances under the EU CLP Regulation and under the UN GHS.