On the rubidium and lithium content and availability in the sub-arid south-eastern Mediterranean: potential health implications

Abstract

Rubidium and lithium are rather rare elements in environmental research, despite their affiliation with a group of chemically active metals and the abundance of Rb in the environment. A growing body of evidence, although controversial, has indicated that both elements possess unique essential and neurophysiological characteristics in biota and humans. Both elements may concentrate in soil and vegetation of sub-arid environments. We investigated the content and (potential) availability of Rb and Li in the soils and natural waters of Galilee, the Coastal Plain, and the northern Negev of Israel. A newly developed chromatographic technique for the separation of truly dissolved Rb and Li compounds has been applied. High concentrations of Rb, together with high values of the potentially vital Rb-to-K ratio, were found in the soils, the soil solutions, rainwater, throughfall water, and the plant litter leachates, but not in the surface and spring waters. This may indicate a sequestration of Rb in the local soils and a semi-closed Rb turnover in the soil-plant system with a major input from sea aerosols. Low Li bulk and available concentrations were determined in all the natural compartments. Possible implications of such specific environmental features on the local population health were discussed.

Does Soil Organic Matter Affect the Impact of the Ionic Liquid Ethylammonium Nitrate in the Pure State and as Mixture with Lithium Salt on Basal Soil Respiration?

“…The difference in the effect of lithium on soil respiration in the Negreira soil (no effect) and the A Pedra soil (strong effect) suggests that lithium is fixed by soil organic matter [21], thus mitigating any possible impact on soil respiration in the Negreira soil. Although clays can also fix lithium [22], the clay content was the same in both soils (Table 2) and the clay was probably of the same type, as both soils were developed over granite rock. The lithium-fixing capacity of both soils should therefore be similar, thus indicating that the different impact of lithium on the soils can probably be explained by the organic matter content.…”

Copper Complexing Capacity and Trace Metal Content in Common and Balsamic Vinegars: Impact of Organic Matter

“…Regarding Rb, for which high IEFs were also obtained, it demonstrates transport mechanisms in plant roots similar to those of K, which constitutes an essential element for plants [46]. Recently, at a coastal area of Israel in eastern Mediterranean Sea, elevated Rb concentrations were reported in soils, soil solutions, rainwater through fall water and plant litter leachates, with sea aerosols constituting a major input [47]. Similarly, Campbell et al [48] proposed that Rb should be included as a metal that is consistently biomagnified in diverse food webs and should hence be considered in multi-element biomagnification studies.…”

Critically raw materials as potential emerging environmental contaminants, their distribution patterns, risks and behaviour in floodplain soils contaminated by heavy metals

“…But there is evidence that low Li levels have beneficial effects on living organisms 31 . Lithium possesses unique essential and neurophysiological characteristics in biota and humans 32 . However, at high doses, it can be toxic to humans 33 .…”