The COMPLEXITIES OF THE STUDY OF GEOGENIC LITHIUM

Geogenic lithium and mental health

Authors

  • Manoe Jerônimo Moreira Cruz Universidade Federal da Bahia, Departamento de Oceanografia, POSPETRO
  • Orquidia Neves DECivil/CERENA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7164-5525
  • Olga Maria Fragueiro Otero Otero Instituto de Geociências Universidade Federal da Bahia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4448-6925
  • Manuel Vitor Portugal Gonçalves Pós-Graduação em Ambiente, Território e Sociedade, Campus Universidade Católica do Salvador (UCSAL).
  • Lana Pospetro , Universidade Federal da Bahia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7244-0441

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.9771/geocad.v15i0.52065

Keywords:

Medical Geology, Mental Health, Lithium element

Abstract

Lithium, geogenic, secondary is a chemical element that occurs in surface geochemical reservoirs, from the action of chemical weathering of mineral phases, carriers of this element. Supergene enrichment supplies this element to soils, sediments and water, that is, to surface geochemical reservoirs. Lithium is an element that brings several therapeutic benefits, among them the treatment of mental health disorders, such as bipolar affective disease, in the prevention of behavior changes, and may be related to some extent, in the reduction of suicide and violence.

Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death worldwide. Suicide rates vary greatly from country to country and from regions within a country. Brazil has one of the lowest suicide rates in the world, however these numbers have been increasing by around 30% in recent decades.

The relationship between lithium and mental health can be addressed by medical geochemistry, which is a new field of geology that investigates the distribution of geological materials and possible influences on human health. This article presents the difficulties of trying to relate the verified levels of geogenic Lithium, existing in the Northeast of Brazil, with the numbers of suicide statistics from surveys of the Brazilian health system.

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Author Biographies

Manoe Jerônimo Moreira Cruz, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Departamento de Oceanografia, POSPETRO

Full Professor at the Federal University of Bahia. He holds a degree in Geology from the Federal University of Bahia (1976), a Master's in Geology from the Federal University of Bahia (1983), a PhD in Petrochemistry from the Universite Pierre & Marie Curie, Paris VI (1989) and a postdoctoral degree from the University of Montpellier in petrogeochemistry . He is currently Full Professor at the Federal University of Bahia, Permanent Professor at Pospetro UFBA. lithogeochemistry, hydrogeochemistry. He is currently dedicated to the geochemistry of interfaces, environmental geochemistry, the study of water quality, aquifer vulnerability, recovery of degraded areas and medical geochemistry.

 

Orquidia Neves, DECivil/CERENA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa

Orquídia Neves, graduated in Geological Engineering (Univ. Aveiro, Portugal), holds a Master in Geochemistry (Univ. Aveiro, Portugal) and a PhD degree in Mining Engineering from IST (Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal), where is currently Assistant Professor and a researcher at CERENA (Centro de Recursos Naturais e Ambiente). The main scientific activity is Environmental Geochemistry, in research related with the chemical characterization of mining, industrial and agricultural pollution, soil-water-plant interactions, water quality, risk assessment of contaminated sites and its remediation.

Olga Maria Fragueiro Otero Otero, Instituto de Geociências Universidade Federal da Bahia

Professor da Universidade Federal da Bahia, Departamento de Oceanografia.

Manuel Vitor Portugal Gonçalves, Pós-Graduação em Ambiente, Território e Sociedade, Campus Universidade Católica do Salvador (UCSAL).

Biologist nº 59.217/08-D, graduated in Biological Sciences from UCSAL (2005), Master in Environmental Planning (UCSAL) and PhD in Environmental Geology, Hydrogeology and Water Resources (UFBA). It has refresher courses in Environmental Education (UFBA) and specialization courses in Ecology and Environmental Interventions (UNIJORGE), Biotechnology (UNYLEYA), Genetic Engineering (UNYLEYA) and Clinical and Toxicological Analysis (UNESA). He is currently a member of the faculty of the Territory, Environment and Society Graduate Program (PPG TAS) at UCSAL. He has been a teacher since 2006 at the Education Network of the State of Bahia (SEC-BA). It is linked to the following research groups: Geochemistry of Interfaces (UFBA) and Development, Society and Nature (UCSAL). He was a CNPq scholarship holder (2010 - 2014) during his doctorate course, with interest and experience in investigating the relationships between geosciences, society and health, taking human dignity and the dignity of nature as a central value; in the geochemical characterization; isotopic hydrogeology; water quality (chemical, physical and microbiological) and biogeochemical characterization and applied ecology in the environmental assessment of coastal ecosystems and inland fresh waters and subsidies for environmental management; and in the application of multivariate statistics in environmental studies. Participates as a researcher and volunteer in the water quality monitoring network in the Lagoa do Parque Metropolitano de Pituaçu, Salvador, Bahia, in collaboration with Fundação SOS Mata Atlântica. Continues as a student of the Specialization in Cellular Biology course (UEFS).

Lana, Pospetro , Universidade Federal da Bahia

Graduated in Chemistry from the State University of Bahia (UNEB). Master in Petroleum Geochemistry and Environment from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA).

 

References

Cruz, M.J.M, Pena,C.S.P,Otero,O.M.F.,Neves,M.O.vGonçalves,M.V.P. Are there geogenic relationships for Lithium between geology, geochemical anomalies and low levels of violence in the region of Guanambi, State of Bahia, NE Brazil?. Brazilian Journal of Development, Curitiba, v.8, n.4, p.32155-32170, apr., 2022. DOI:10.34117/bjdv8n4-616.

Oliveira, P.; Zagalo, J.; Madeira, N.; Neves, O. Lithium in Public Drinking Water and Suicide Mortality in Portugal: Initial Approach. Acta Med. Port. 2019, 32, 47–52. DOI:0000-0002-2292-1463

Pena,L.S.(2021) Processos Geoambientais do Elemento Lítio nos Domínios Geológicos da Microrregião Guanambi, Centro-Sul da Bahia, Nordeste do Brasil.Dissetação de Mestrado. Pospetro UFBA.

Beurlen H, Thomas,R. , Silva,M.R.R.da , Müller,A., Rhede,D., Soares,D.R. (2014) Perspectives for Li- and Ta-Mineralization in the Borborema Pegmatite Province, NE-Brazil: A review. Journal of South American Earth Sciences.Volume 56, Pages 110-127. DOI:10.1180/minmag.2011.075.5.2703

Neves, M.O., Marques, J., Eggenkamp, H.G.M. (2020) Lithium in Portuguese bottled natural mineral waters—potential for health benefits? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(22), pp. 1–14, 8369. DOI:10.3390/ijerph17228369

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Published

2022-12-15

How to Cite

Cruz, M. J. . M. ., Neves, M. O. T. N., Otero, O. M. F. O., Gonçalves, M. V. P. G., & Pena, L. C. S. P. (2022). The COMPLEXITIES OF THE STUDY OF GEOGENIC LITHIUM: Geogenic lithium and mental health. Cadernos De Geociências, 15. https://doi.org/10.9771/geocad.v15i0.52065

Issue

Vol. 15 (2022): PUBLICAÇÃO EM FLUXO CONTÍNUO

Section

Medical Geology