Lithium

Previous studies have reported MRI abnormalities of the corpus callosum (CC) in patients with bipolar disorder (BD), although only a few studies have directly compared callosal areas in psychotic versus nonpsychotic patients with this disorder. We sought to compare regional callosal areas in a large international multicentre sample of patients with BD and healthy controls. We analyzed anatomic T1 MRI data of patients with BD-I and healthy controls recruited from 4 sites (France, Germany, Ireland and the United States). We obtained the mid-sagittal areas of 7 CC subregions using an automatic CC delineation. Differences in regional callosal areas between patients and controls were compared using linear mixed models (adjusting for age, sex, handedness, brain volume, history of alcohol abuse/dependence, lithium or antipsychotic medication status, symptomatic status and site) and multiple comparisons correction. We also compared regional areas of the CC between patients with BD with and ...

Current trends in transport electrification and mobile technologies have created an increasing demand for raw materials needed for battery production. The supply chains involved are global, complex, non-transparent and sometimes associated with unsustainable production practices. To improve on the current situation, it is essential to trace battery raw materials back to their origins to verify the conditions in which they were produced. This demand for increased transparency has triggered actions in European Union legislation and among companies operating within battery supply chains.

In this report, we review the current landscape for the application of traceability methods to battery supply chains. The report begins with a global overview of selected battery metals and minerals and their related sustainability issues. As sustainability is an integral goal for traceability, sustainability reporting systems for mining are reviewed from the perspective of traceability. Existing traceability methods and case studies in battery supply chains are reviewed, including the geo-based fingerprinting method (laboratory technology) that is being developed in the BATTRACE research project. We also discuss the business potential of the geo-based fingerprinting method.

Several drivers are identified for traceability. The main driver comes from regulatory development, such as the EU’s battery directives. Customer awareness of sustainability issues is also beginning to influence manufacturers (OEMs) to invest in the transparency of their battery metal supply chains. In addition, the producers of sustainable and low emission raw materials have identified the commercial benefit of tracing the greenhouse gas emissions of their products along the supply chain. Current sustainability and reporting systems used within the mining industry are inadequate to comply with the increased traceability needs, as their focus is limited to the beginning of the supply chain.

The traceability pilots that are currently in use are still limited in scope. For traceability to become commonplace in mining supply chains, OEMs will need to recognize the overall commercial benefits of traceability. Ethical questions dominate in the sustainability considerations on cobalt production, and there are indications that the cobalt market may be separating into traceable and certified cobalt, and bulk cobalt. For lithium and graphite production, the dominating sustainability considerations relate to water and energy consumption and dust. Lithium and graphite are not currently communicated to be included in any digital traceability solution under preparation, but they have been included in BATTRACE research for the geo-based fingerprinting method. Geo-based fingerprinting has considerable commercial potential as a traceability method and a verification tool. As the geological and elemental characteristics of a sample cannot be falsified, the method has unique potential as a stand-alone traceability technology, or as a complementary verification method with any other traceability system. The method could also serve as a verification tool in the “Metals from Finland” certificate, which could sharpen the marketing of sustainable and traceable battery metals production from Finland.

Lithium (Li) was given to female Swiss-Webster strain mice at the doses of 15 and 30 mg/kg body weight in their drinking water. Treatment started from the first day of pregnancy until the postnatal day fifteen of delivery. Thereafter, the dams were switched to plain tap water. All offspring were subjected to various tests. The rate of body weight gain was relatively slower in Li exposed pups. Furthermore, the opening of eyes and appearance of body hairs in Li exposed pups were also slower as compared to the controls. The sensory motor reflexes in Li exposed pups were found to be affected in a dose-dependent manner. Significant relative changes were also noticed in the levels of acid and alkaline phosphatases in the liver, and acetylcholinesterase in the brain tissues of the Li exposed developing offspring in a dose-dependent manner. 'Locomotor Activity Test' was performed in the male offspring only which showed a significant suppressive effect on most of the elements of this...

Work relating to the electrodeposition of the Group I Alkali metals (Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs) from a range of ILs will be described, an extensive range of fundamental parameters briefly presented, and the electrochemical analysis and simulation methods utilised in their quantification discussed.

Initially a suitable IL had to be determined. Work relating to the electrodeposition of Na and Li from 12 ILs will be briefly discussed.1,2 Extension of the electrochemical window, alloy formation and underpotential deposition will also be noted.2,3 After demonstrating the applicability of [C4mPyrr][NTf2], the cyclic voltammetry for all five metals will be presented.4

The formal potential, Ef0, is the most fundamental thermodynamic parameter. This value, combined with kinetic parameters such as the electrochemical rate constant, k0, and the transfer coefficient, α, can be used to determine if a metal can be electrodeposited from an electrolyte of choice.

By combining cyclic voltammetry and simulation, the values of Ef0 (vs. Fc/Fc+), k0 and α for the M/M+ redox couples have been quantified for all five metals in the IL [C4mPyrr][NTf2] for the first time. The experimental conditions and simulation used to quantify these values will be discussed, as well as compared with the known values in more conventional solvents. Briefly, the simulation5 assumes the deposition and stripping processes follow Butler-Volmer kinetics and diffusion follows Fick’s Second Law, allowing the concentration gradients to be solved using a series of partial differential equations, and the current as a function of time can then be calculated. After metal deposition and prior to metal stripping the system is that of a defined M/M+ system, and the potential-current transient in this region is sufficiently sensitive to Ef0, α and k0 for their determination.

Detailed studies on Li and Na as a function of temperature provided a further range of fundamental thermodynamic parameters, namely the change in entropy (ΔS0), activation energy (Ea) and diffusional activation energy (Ea,D). The effect of temperature on the formal potential (dEf0/dT) and diffusion coefficient (D) were also quantified. Finally, the ΔGosolv (vs. Fc/Fc+) has been estimated for the five M+ ions.

Comparison of Ef0 (vs. Fc/Fc+) throughout the Group demonstrates that the trend in [C4mPyrr][NTf2] most closely resembles propylene carbonate in terms of increasing reactivity down the group, in comparison to solvents such as H2O, DMSO and DMF.


References

1 R. Wibowo, S. E.W. Jones and R. G. Compton, J. Chem. Eng. Data, 55 (3), 1374–1376, (2010).
2 R. Wibowo, L Aldous, E.I. Rogers, S.E.W. Jones, R.G. Compton, J. Phys. Chem. C, 114, 3618-3626, (2010).
3 R. Wibowo, S.E.W. Jones, R.G. Compton, J. Phys. Chem. B, 113, 12293-12298, (2009).
4 R. Wibowo, L Aldous, S.E.W. Jones, R.G. Compton, Chem. Phys. Lett., accepted, (2010).
5 S.E.W. Jones, F.G. Chevallier, C.A. Paddon, R.G. Compton, Anal. Chem., 79, 4110-19, (2007).

http://link.aip.org/link/?MAECES/1002/2171/1

Argentina is a major producer of lithium, a vital mineral for making a transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy. Mining is concentrated in three Northwestern provinces, Catamarca, Jujuy, and Salta. Although they have shared historical roots, cultural traditions, socioeconomic profiles, and political institutions as provincial subnational units in a federal system, there is striking variation in how mining projects articulate with local indigenous communities. In some lithium mining projects, companies offered concessions that improved local socioeconomic indicators and mitigated environmental damage. In others, mining companies either made minimal concessions or, alternatively chose to halt projects, usually in response to organized local resistance. Why do lithium mining ventures result in negotiated, unnegotiated, or aborted extraction? The article proposes a typology of modes of extraction together with an explanatory framework that centers on the strengths and strategies of communities and subnational governments in setting the terms of mining.

The purpose of the present work is to develop analytical expressions for the depth variation of the fluence, planar fluence, the energy fluence, planar energy fluence, the mean energy and absorbed dose of primary ions and their associated fragments in tissue-like media with ranges of clinical interest. The analytical expressions of the primary ions and associated fragments take into account nuclear interactions, energy losses, range straggling and multiple scattering. The analytical models of the radiation field quantities were compared with the results of the modified Monte Carlo (MC) code SHIELD-HIT(+). The results show that the shape of the depth absorbed dose distribution of the primary particles is characterized by an increasingly steep exponential fluence decrease with depth as the charge and atomic weight increase. This is accompanied by a compensating increased energy loss towards the Bragg peak as the charge of the ion increases. These largely compensating mechanisms are th...

The case of Salinas Grandes-Laguna de Guayatayoc is interesting as the region is divided between the provinces of Salta and Jujuy, which are inhabited by the Kolla and Atacama communities. Here, lithium was discovered in 2010, giving rise to a process of exploration by multinational companies and promotion by national and provincial governments. The case involves the violation of three indigenous rights. First, the right to communal ownership of the land, since, although a survey has been carried out, the title deed of the land has not yet been granted. Second, the right to consultation and exercise of FPIC, given that the government took measures related to lithium exploration and exploitation without the consultation and consent of the affected communities. Third, this is a case of interest because of unchained process of indigenous mobilisation organisation which has led to the KachiYupi/Huellas de la Sal protocol, drawn up by the communities themselves and which represents the model of how the rights to consultation and FPIC should be exercised.

Geographical research on lithium and other renewable energy materials explores the geopolitical dimensions of resource supply and the 'new geographies' associated with an expanding resource frontier. The material characteristics and environmental conditions of lithium production, however, are largely overlooked in this perspective. In the context of a global speculative boom for lithium linked to its growing role in energy storage, this paper adopts a grounded, exploratory approach to investigate the dynamics of production and resource management at one of the world's most significant sources of lithium: the brine deposits of the Atacama Salt Flat/Salar de Atacama in northern Chile. We show how lithium production from brine has a distinctive 'eco-regulatory' character as it involves managing a series of hydrogeological conditions and physical processes that are largely external to capital. The paper highlights the infrastructures (pumps, pipes, ponds) associated with the harvesting of lithium from brine and examines how production on the salar generates a series of ecological contradictions (notably around water depletion) with potential to disrupt accumulation. We also examine the multiple flexibilities afforded by the eco-regulatory character of production, and show how these enable lithium producers to adapt fixed infrastructures to dynamic political economic conditions. By focusing on both contradictions and flexibilities of lithium production, the paper draws attention to trajectories of capitalisation in the lithium value chain and their environmental consequences; and considers the political-economic incentives shaping further capitalisation. The paper concludes by considering the implications of this exploratory case study for critical resource geography.

The effective treatment of depression in people with bipolar disorder remains a clinical challenge. The role of antidepressant medication in treating bipolar depression has been controversial. While early studies and meta-analyses supported a role for antidepressant medication, more recent, high quality randomized controlled trials in bipolar depression have generally not demonstrated efficacy for antidepressant medications. Although the risk of affective switch and long-term de-stabilization remains a concern when using antidepressant medications in bipolar disorder, the magnitude of this risk has been difficult to ascertain with confidence. Maintenance use of antidepressant medication has generally not demonstrated a favorable risk-benefit ratio. Future studies should explore the patient characteristics and response patterns that predict a more favorable response profile to antidepressants amongst patients with bipolar disorder so that the medications can be rationally used in those who are most likely to benefit.

This paper analyzes the linkages and feedback between green electromobility, lithium extractivism, and water injustices affecting the Atacame˜no’s indigenous communities in the Salar de Atacama basin (Atacama Salt Flats).
Currently, lithium is in high demand in the international markets as a strategic resource for the green electromobility industry, which represents part of the Global North policies established by the Paris Agreement to mitigate climate change’s effects. Using both documentary and ethnographic methods based mainly on semistructured interviews conducted with Atacame˜no people, public officials, and lithium companies’ representatives and workers, we propose a decolonial interpretation of lithium extractivism in brine mining through the lens of Latin American political ecology combined with a decolonial and water justice approach. The results demonstrate how the linkages and feedback between global and local dynamics of lithium mining in the Salar de Atacama constitute a form of green extractivism that further replicates the historical inequalities between the Northern and Southern hemispheres and especially affects the indigenous Andean territories and the water ecosystems in the Global South. We call this phenomenon the colonial shadow of green electromobility. We conclude by exposing the need to rethink global proposals addressing climate change by reducing the commodity
demand and aiming for water justice at global and local levels.

This paper analyzes the environmental impact of Lithium extraction, economic use, and waste product. It is broken into two eras: (1) “early use and extraction”, from 1850 to 1985, during which lithium was extracted via open-pit mines and used for medicine, airplane grease, and nuclear weapon fuel and (2) “late use and extraction” 1985 to now, during which lithium is extracted via brine mines and used predominantly in Li-ion battery production.

With a review of the academic and journalistic literature, this chapter aims to further explore the shift toward a sustainable tourism in the context of UNESCO Natural Parks and Geoparks. Furthermore, the authors point out the persistence of a contradiction, that is, the presence of mining activities in the surrounding of above-mentioned UNESCO areas. After briefly reconstructing the socio-economic history of the mountain area of Serra da Estrela, located in the region of Beira Interior, in Central Portugal, the authors focus on the tension between two aspects: 1) the Post-Fordist model, concerning the transition to tourism development related to creation of UNESCO Natural Park and Geopark and 2) the reinforcement of lithium mining production and discovery of new deposits as an energetic and economic strategy for Portugal. In particular, the latter issue has given rise to various groups and movements of protest on a local basis. The claims of these groups suggest a radical paradigm shift in the development plans and in the conception of heritage in an ecological sense.

Developing a lithium mining project is a complex challenge which requires a careful planning, involving a multidisciplinary team. Each stage needs to be considered in planning, including resource exploration, production process design, basic and detailed engineering, financing, over to construction, commissioning, personnel training and process performance verification.

For Citation:
Khayat, S., Salem, H.S., Natsheh, N., Marei, A., and Geyer, S., 2012. Tracing the Common used Agrochemicals Residues in the Groundwater System from Lower Jordan Valley Basin (Jericho/ West Bank). A Conference Paper presented at the Conference of "Water Crisis and Agricultural Development in Palestine". Palestine Technical University - Kadoorie (PTUK), Tulkarm, Palestine, 21-22 May 2012. In the Conference's Proceedings Book: Pages: 171-176.

Abstract:
The study is aims at tracing the effect of pesticides residues on the groundwater quality in the shallow Pleistocene aquifer in Jericho area. The Lithium and Bromide elements were also used to recognize the agrochemical pollution accompanied with pesticides residues in groundwater samples. Four
Pesticides were followed in 25 water samples, these are: Decofol, Bromprophylat, Pyrazophos, and Cypermethrin. The Data shows a trace amount of pesticides in the groundwater were found, where the concentration of Dicofol was the highest, accompanied by a relatively higher concentration of
bromide and lithium. Other high amount of Cypermethrin pesticide, reaches to 295μg/l in relatively deep well, was found in some agricultural wells in the study area. Cypermethrin has different halflife which reach 50 days in anaerobic groundwater conditions, thus the presence of this pesticide is mainly depends on the well environment. The presence of trace amount of residual pesticides indicate also that the higher amount of chemicals is retained by soil during infiltration, and only traces are washed out by floods from the upper mountains during raining seasons. The data also shows that the pesticides presence in the groundwater is mainly depend on the method of onsite application and the half-life of each agrochemical each well and the well depth.

Keywords: Jericho, Lower Jordan valley, groundwater quality, pesticides use.

Lithium imposes several cellular effects allegedly through multiple physiological mechanisms. Membrane depolarization is a potential unifying concept of these mechanisms. Multiple inherent imperfections of classical electrophysiology limit its ability to fully explain the depolarizing effect of lithium ions; these include incapacity to explain the high resting permeability of lithium ions, the degree of depolarization with extracellular lithium concentration, depolarization at low therapeutic concentration, or the differences between the two lithium isotopes Li-6 and Li-7 in terms of depolarization. In this study, we implemented a mathematical model that explains the quantum tunneling of lithium ions through the closed gates of voltage-gated sodium channels as a conclusive approach that decodes the depolarizing action of lithium. Additionally, we compared our model to the classical model available and reported the differences. Our results showed that lithium can achieve high quantum...