Contribution to the problematics of geogenic lithium to human health
Contribution to the problematics of geogenic lithium to human health
-
DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.3173422315123
-
Palavras-chave: Geologia Médica; Litio Geogênco; Biofortificação
-
Keywords: Medical Geology; Geogenic Lithium; Biofortification
-
Abstract: Since Paracelsus in the 15th century, the effect of medicine and poison is a numerical relationship between concentration, beneficial effect, or mortality, which can be measured by dose/response findings. Lithium contents, whether coming from medicinal products of geogenic origin or bioaccumulative, are no exception to the rule. Lithium is a chemical element that occurs widely in nature and is economically associated with granitic bodies and pegmatites, concentrations in brines and salts, and in clayey sedimentary rocks. The positive effect of medicated lithium is widely seen as a treatment for mood, manic-depressive psychoses, and suicide. The negative effects of prolonged use are associated with kidney disease. Geogenic lithium, which, due to its natural presence in waters consumed by populations, where there are important concentrations, economic or not, of lithium resulting from the weathering of minerals and carrier rocks, is still a point that needs research, especially with the aim of determining the content in mg/L, ideal for beneficial effects for populations. Nowadays, the growth in the use of lithium for the electronics industry is exponential according to the World Mine Products and Reserves, from the year 2018 to the year 2022, there was a growth of around 40% in the use of lithium, especially in the electronics and automotive industries. The proportionality of the growth of e-waste has a directly proportional factor, given the difficulty of recycling this element in ion batteries. Due to its great geochemical mobility, which is related to its chemical potential, lithium is easily assimilated by plants. This biofortification through contamination will develop problems in the consumption of vegetables, especially leafy vegetables, becoming a serious problem for societies, especially given the strong appeal of vegetarian foods.
- Manoel Jeronimo Moreira Cruz