Probl Hig Epidemiol 2012, 93(4): 867-870pl

Lithium supply in the daily food rations of students

Maria Długaszek ^1/, Anna Kłos ^2/, Jerzy Bertrandt ^2/

1/ Instytut Optoelektroniki, Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna w Warszawie
2/ Zakład Higieny i Fizjologii, Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna w Warszawie

Summary
Introduction. Lithium (Li) is an element required for proper functioning of human body. There is little information about its content in food and its intake.
Aim. To assess the Li intake with the daily food rations served to students.
Material & methods. The research material were daily food rations, excluding bread and beverages, (n=16) served to the students of the Main School of Fire Service from November 2009 to July 2010. At the same time the post-consumer waste was collected (n=16). The Li content in the samples was determined by the atomic absorption spectrometry using the AVANTA Σ spectrometer. Quantitative determinations were performed in the graphite furnace GF3000.
Results. The Li content in the tested food rations amounted to 13.6 µg, and in the post-consumer waste - 2.9 µg. Thus, the Li amount supplied daily to the body with the diet was 10.7 µg. A significant difference between the Li content in the examined diets in fall-winter and spring-summer periods was found. The average Li concentration in daily food rations was found to be 6.2±2.2 µg/kg.
Conclusions. 1. The daily Li intake, based on the analysis of examined diets, is low in comparison to provisionally proposed, i.e. 1000 µg; it is however comparable with the data presented by other authors. 2. Both the Li content in the different groups of Polish food products and its consumption should be the subject of further studies, taking account of the fact that this element takes part in many important vital processes.

Key words:  lithium, daily food rations, daily intake