| Agent Name |
Lithium |
|---|
| CAS Number |
7439-93-2 |
|---|
| Formula |
Li |
|---|
| Major Category |
Metals |
|---|
| Category |
Elements, Metallic |
|---|
| Description |
Silvery white solid; Becomes yellowish or gray when exposed to moist air; [CHEMINFO] |
|---|
| Sources/Uses |
Used to manufacture alloys, greases, ceramics, batteries, aircraft fuel, and organic chemicals; Used as a fuel and heat-transfer fluid in the nuclear power industry and as a scavenger for oxygen and sulfur; Dietary intake estimated at 2mg/day; [CHEMINFO] |
|---|
| Comments |
Reacts with air; Reacts with water to form explosive hydrogen gas and corrosive lithium hydroxide; [CHEMINFO] Lithium poisoning is most common in patients in long-term treatment with renal impairment. The usual daily dose is 300 to 2400 mg. The therapeutic serum level is 0.6-1.2 mEq/L. Lithium intoxication may occur in lithium-treated patients who develop acute gastroenteritis, take thiazide diuretics, or use NSAIDs or ACE inhibitors. Common symptoms of lithium intoxication are lethargy, weakness, slurred speech, ataxia, tremor, and myoclonic jerks which may progress to delirium, seizures, hyperthermia, and coma. Diagnosis is supported by an elevated lithium level, but the degree of elevation does not predict the degree of toxicity. [Olson, p. 243-4] There is evidence from pharmacologic use that lithium is nephrotoxic. [Rosenstock, p. 572] |
|---|
| Exposure Assessment |
|---|
| Skin Designation (ACGIH) |
Not evaluated |
|---|
| Explanatory Notes |
Melting point = 180.5 deg C (357 deg F); Boiling point = 1336 deg C (2437 deg F); [CHEMINFO] |
|---|
| Half Life |
Eliminated by the kidney with a half-life of 14-30 hours; [Olson, p. 244] |
|---|
| Flammability (NFPA) |
2: high ambient temperature required |
|---|
| Adverse Effects |
|---|
| Dermatotoxin |
Skin Burns |
|---|
| Nephrotoxin |
Yes |
|---|
| Links to Other NLM Databases |
|---|
|
|
