The new estimates can help health researchers determine potential connections between lithium exposure and human health outcomes.
The new estimates can help health researchers determine potential connections between lithium exposure and human health outcomes.
DRI researchers Monica Arienzo and Daniel Saftner are coauthors on a new study led by the USGS that examines lithium levels in groundwater aquifers used to supply drinking water across the U.S.
Lithium is a naturally occurring metal found in rocks, soil, and water. Although lithium has been linked to both positive and negative human health impacts when consumed, there is limited data on lithium levels and resulting health outcomes. Throughout Nevada and the rest of the Great Basin, lithium commonly occurs in higher concentrations than other regions. This is likely due to a number of factors, including the arid climate, natural salt flats with elevated lithium levels, and older groundwater that has concentrated lithium over time.
Read more at Desert Research Institute
