CONTRIBUTION TO KNOWLEDGE ON THE CONTAMINATION OF BRS LEILA LETTUCE (L. SATIVA) BY LITHIUM CARBONATE (LI₂CO₃)

Abstract

Considering the exponential growth use of lithium, as a metal reaching approximately 135,000 tons by 2024, due to its application in changing the energy matrix through its use in batteries of ubiquity in new technology equipment, and the fact that only about 3% of lithium is recycled. Considering that on former landfill sites, transformed by populations on the outskirts of cities, community gardens are established to grow a variety of vegetables and greens that supplement family income and daily diets. Considering the use of lithium as a mood stabilizer, antidepressant, and effective against violent and suicidal behavior. Considering that lithium has been used since the 1990s as a reducer in the percentage of crime, depression, and drug addiction. The preliminary research presented in this article was developed to contribute to scientific knowledge through a controlled laboratory experiment on lithium biofortification and its correlations with chemical elements with similar properties (Na, K, Mg, and Sr). BRS Leila lettuce (L. sativa) was cultivated in different samples (single and triple) contaminated with lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) at concentrations of 150 and 200 mol/L, at different irrigation times. It was concluded that Li correlates with other alkaline and alkaline earth elements, on leaves and roots of LS, and these associations can be developed to seek a more appropriate balance between the benefits and potential risks to health and the environment, converting what would be an environmental contamination into a benefit to the health of the population.

DOI: 10.56238/edimpacto2025.051-006