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Uses of Lithium Carbonate

Lithium carbonate is a chemical compound widely used in psychiatry. According to book rags.com, this important application of lithium carbonate was discovered in 1949 by John Cade, an Australian physician who discovered that individuals with bipolar disorder (manic-depressive syndrome) were relieved of their mania when treated with lithium carbonate. Prior to this important discovery there was no successful treatment available for bipolar disorder.

  1. The Facts

    • According lookchem.com, lithium carbonate chemical formula is CLi2O3 and it is a member of the alkali metal group. Its atomic number is three, it has a melting point of 720 degrees celsius and a boiling point of 1,342 degrees celsius. Its density is 2.11 g/mL at 25 degrees celsius. Lithium carbonate is chemically stable and not a carcinogen (cancer-causing agent).

    Uses

    • Lithium carbonate is an important industrial chemical used for low-melting fluxes with silica and other materials. It is also used for lithium-ion battery cathodes made from lithium cobalt oxide, as well as in fireworks. Lithium carbonate is what gives fireworks their deep red color.
      Lithium carbonate is also used to strengthen glass and ceramic products, as seen in such shock-resistant cookware as Pyrex and black-and-white television tubes. It is also used in the production of aluminum metal, saving the aluminum industry a lot of money because it reduces the temperature at which aluminum is produced from its ore. A reduction in temperature means a reduction in cost.
      Since the 1950s, lithium carbonate has also been adopted as an anti-psychotic drug to to treat bipolar disorders and manic states.

    Function

    • Lithium carbonate is used in psychiatry to treat bipolar disorders because lithium ions are able to interfere with chemical reactions that relay messages carried to brain cells. This property helps alleviate symptoms of mania in patients suffering from the disorder.

    Warning

    • According to healthyplace.com, lithium carbonate should be avoided by patients who have significant renal or cardiovascular disease, sodium depletion and dehydration, as the substance could be toxic to them.

    Side Effects

    • Chronic lithium use has many side effects, including diminution of renal concentrating ability and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Patients experiencing these side effects should avoid dehydration because it could result in toxicity and further lithium retention. Patients undergoing chronic lithium therapy have experienced morphologic changes (changes in outward appearance) with nephron atrophy and glomerular and interstitial fibrosis. Manic depressive patients have also exhibited morphological changes.

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