The responses of rainbow trout gills to high lithium and potassium concentrations in water

Reimagining safe lithium applications in the living environment and its impacts on human, animal, and plant system

Lithium's (Li) ubiquitous distribution in the environment is a rising concern due to its rapid proliferation in the modern electronic industry. Li enigmatic entry into the terrestrial food chain raises many questions and uncertainties that may pose a grave threat to living biota. We examined the leverage existing published articles regarding advances in global Li resources, interplay with plants, and possible involvement with living organisms, especially humans and animals. Globally, Li concentration (<10-300 mg kg-1) is detected in agricultural soil, and their pollutant levels vary with space and time. High mobility of Li results in higher accumulation in plants, but the clear mechanisms and specific functions remain unknown. Our assessment reveals the causal relationship between Li level and biota health. For example, lower Li intake (<0.6 mM in serum) leads to mental disorders, while higher intake (>1.5 mM in serum) induces thyroid, stomach, kidney, and reproductive system dysfunctions in humans and animals. However, there is a serious knowledge gap regarding Li regulatory standards in environmental compartments, and mechanistic approaches to unveil its consequences are needed. Furthermore, aggressive efforts are required to define optimum levels of Li for the normal functioning of animals, plants, and humans. This review is designed to revitalize the current status of Li research and identify the key knowledge gaps to fight back against the mountainous challenges of Li during the recent digital revolution. Additionally, we propose pathways to overcome Li problems and develop a strategy for effective, safe, and acceptable applications.

From mine to mind and mobiles - Lithium contamination and its risk management

With the ever-increasing demand for lithium (Li) for portable energy storage devices, there is a global concern associated with environmental contamination of Li, via the production, use, and disposal of Li-containing products, including mobile phones and mood-stabilizing drugs. While geogenic Li is sparingly soluble, Li added to soil is one of the most mobile cations in soil, which can leach to groundwater and reach surface water through runoff. Lithium is readily taken up by plants and has relatively high plant accumulation coefficient, albeit the underlying mechanisms have not been well described. Therefore, soil contamination with Li could reach the food chain due to its mobility in surface- and ground-waters and uptake into plants. High environmental Li levels adversely affect the health of humans, animals, and plants. Lithium toxicity can be considerably managed through various remediation approaches such as immobilization using clay-like amendments and/or chelate-enhanced phytoremediation. This review integrates fundamental aspects of Li distribution and behaviour in terrestrial and aquatic environments in an effort to efficiently remediate Li-contaminated ecosystems. As research to date has not provided a clear picture of how the increased production and disposal of Li-based products adversely impact human and ecosystem health, there is an urgent need for further studies on this field.

Lithium an emerging contaminant: bioavailability, effects on protein expression, and homeostasis disruption in short-term exposure of rainbow trout

Worldwide production of lithium (Li) has increased dramatically during the past decade, driven by the demand for high charge density batteries. Information about Li in the aquatic environment is limited. The present study was designed to explore the effects of Li in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Juvenile trout were exposed to a nominal concentration of 1.0mg Li/L in three separate exposures. Major ion concentrations were measured in brain and plasma by ion chromatography. Plasma proteins and fatty acids were measured by HPLC-MS/MS. Lithium accumulated in the brain and plasma. Arachidonic acid was elevated in plasma after 48h. Elevated concentrations of Li in brain were associated with depressed concentrations of sodium, magnesium, potassium and ammonium relative to the control. In plasma, sodium and calcium were also depressed. Several changes occurred to plasma proteins corresponding to Li exposure: inhibition of prostaglandin synthase (Ptgs2), increased expression of copper transporting ATP synthases, and Na(+)/K(+) ATPase. To our knowledge, ours is the first study to demonstrate elevated Li concentrations in fish brain, with associated effects on ion regulation.