Research an lithium-phytological metabolism and recovery of hypo-lithium.

Abstract

Vegetables are a rich mineral source in human diet. It was demonstrated that lithium, a nonessential mineral in plants, has an important role on the psychosomatic normality of man, with its use related to human health problems such as hypertension, depressive state, hormonal balance, leukemia, diabetes, dental cavities, immunological functions, and others. To determine Li uptake by plants, a greenhouse study was carried out in solution culture with radish, lettuce and watercress at lithium levels of 0.1, 1.0 and 2.0mM. Thirty days after transplanting, plants were collected, had their fresh and dry weights measured and nutrient contents were analyzed. In general, lithium increased iron uptake but did not affect uptake of other nutrients by lettuce. (growth of watercress was depressed at 2 mM Li but radish and lettuce growth was not significantly affected. Lithium content of watercress increased from 37 ppm with 0.1 mM Li to 1216 ppm with 2 mM Li in a quadratic response relationship to Li rate. The other plants responded similarly