Smart Energy and Sustainable Environment , ISSN 2668-957X
2024, Volume 27, Issue 1
Pages 5-24

https://doi.org/10.46390/j.smensuen.27124.456

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF Li CONCENTRATION AND THE 6Li/7Li ISOTOPIC RATIO FROM SPECIFIC PROVENANCE ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

Starting from the necessity of a geospatial footprint existence of mineral waters in Romania, this study followed lithium concentration distribution and the ⁶Li/⁷Li isotopic ratio using the ICP-MS technique. Stable isotopes are potent tracers of chemical and biological transformations in natural environments. Lithium is commonly found as a dissolved species in groundwater and surface water, making this valuable metal a conservative tracer in hydrogeological studies. This study followed the geographical distribution of lithium concentrations and the ⁶Li/⁷Li isotopic ratio, considering the comparative characterization of Romanian waters (from different geographical regions) and foreign waters sold on the Romanian market and independent food stores. The determination of the median values was based on the bootstrap method, which allowed the identification of high values of the standard errors in the case of Li concentration in the approved waters and the organic material. In the case of the isotopic ratio, the highest value is found in foreign waters. The waters of Southern Muntenia presented significantly different values compared to all other regions, having the lowest concentration of Li (0.44 µg/L) but having the highest isotopic ratio (0.10). The waters of the S-W Oltenia and Central Transylvania regions have the highest concentrations of Li, respectively 10.45 µg/L and 10.03 µg/L, much lower than the values of the other regions. Also, the organic material shows a degree of Li concentration dispersion but the slightest variation in the isotopic ratio. The involvement in human health of Li exposure is needed for further investigation even if no regulation on the safe limits of Li in drinking water for humans is addressed

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