LITHIUM CARBONATE 

Lithium carbonate appears as a white powder. Strong irritant when dissolved in water.

EC Number: 209-062-5 
Chemical formula:Li2CO3
Molar mass:73.89 g/mol
Appearance:Odorless white powder
Density:2.11 g/cm3
Melting point: 723 °C (1,333 °F; 996 K)
Boiling point:1,310 °C (2,390 °F; 1,580 K) Decomposes from ~1300 °C
Refractive index (nD)    
Viscosity: 4.64 cP (777 °C)

Solubility in water
    
1.54 g/100 mL (0 °C)
1.43 g/100 mL (10 °C)
1.29 g/100 mL (25 °C)
1.08 g/100 mL (40 °C)
0.69 g/100 mL (100 °C)

Lithium has been used to treat manic episodes since the 19th century. Though it is widely used, its mechanism of action is still unknown. Lithium carbonate has a narrow therapeutic range and so careful monitoring is required to avoid adverse effects

For the treatment of bipolar disorder, it is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most important medications needed in a basic health system.

Lithium carbonate is a white monoclinic crystalline solid. Typically for carbonates, lithium carbonate reacts with acids stronger than carbon dioxide or carbonic acid to yield the lithium salt of the acid and carbon dioxide.

Occurrence

Lithium carbonate is found in ores together other minerals. It can be extracted easily because it is insoluble in water, thus the hot water is used to isolate from other chemical compounds present in ores.

Physical properties
Lithium carbonate is an odorless white powder. Its density is 2.11 g mL-1. Lithium carbonate melting point is 724 ºC and its boiling point is 1310 ºC. It is insoluble in hot water, acetone, ammonia and ethanol. It is poorly soluble in cold water (its solubility in water decrease with the increasing the temperature). It is soluble in acetic acid.

Chemical properties

Lithium carbonate is a salt of lithium most used and it is widely commercialized to the bipolarity treatment. Lithium is the ion most similar to sodium, by size and charge, thus it is a competitor of sodium in the transmembrane exchange in nerve cells, thus it can be affected the release of neurotransmitters. Lithium carbonate can also be used to elevate the peripheral leukocytes.

Properties and reactions

Unlike sodium carbonate, which forms at least three hydrates, lithium carbonate exists only in the anhydrous form. Its solubility in water is low relative to other lithium salts. The isolation of lithium from aqueous extracts of lithium ores capitalizes on this poor solubility. Its apparent solubility increases 10-fold under a mild pressure of carbon dioxide; this effect is due to the formation of the metastable bicarbonate, which is more soluble

Li2CO3 + CO2 + H2O ⇌ 2 LiHCO3

The extraction of lithium carbonate at high pressures of CO2 and its precipitation upon depressuring is the basis of the Quebec process.

Lithium carbonate can also be purified by exploiting its diminished solubility in hot water. Thus, heating a saturated aqueous solution causes crystallization of Li2CO3.

Lithium carbonate, and other carbonates of group 1, do not decarboxylate readily. Li2CO 3 decomposes at temperatures around 1300 °C.

Production

Lithium is extracted from primarily two sources: pegmatite crystals and lithium salt from brine pools. About 30,000 tons were produced in 1989. It also exists as the rare mineral zabuyelite.

Lithium carbonate is generated by combining lithium peroxide with carbon dioxide. This reaction is the basis of certain air purifiers, e.g., in spacecraft, used to absorb carbon dioxide:

2 Li2O2 + 2 CO2 → 2 Li2CO3 + O2

In recent years many junior mining companies have begun exploration of lithium projects throughout North America, South America and Australia to identify economic deposits that can potentially bring new supplies of lithium carbonate online to meet the growing demand for the product. 

Uses
Lithium carbonate is an important industrial chemical. It forms low-melting fluxes with silica and other materials. Glasses derived from lithium carbonate are useful in ovenware. Lithium carbonate is a common ingredient in both low-fire and high-fire ceramic glaze. Its alkaline properties are conducive to changing the state of metal oxide colorants in glaze particularly red iron oxide (Fe2O3)

Cement sets more rapidly when prepared with lithium carbonate, and is useful for tile adhesives. When added to aluminium trifluoride, it forms LiF which gives a superior electrolyte for the processing of aluminium. It is also used in the manufacture of most lithium-ion battery cathodes, which are made of lithium cobalt oxide.
 
Lithium carbonate is mainly used by the pharmaceutical industry in treatments against manic-depressive psychosis. It is also used by the chemical industry in the production of other lithium compounds, especially lithium salts as lithium chloride and lithium bromide. Lithium carbonate is also a raw material to manufacture glass and porcelain. It is also added into electrolytic cells for electrolysis of aluminium due it helps to increase the efficiency of the cell and it is component of many semiconductors and chemical catalysts.

Medical uses

In 1843, lithium carbonate was used as a new solvent for stones in the bladder. In 1859, some doctors recommended a therapy with lithium salts for a number of ailments, including gout, urinary calculi, rheumatism, mania, depression, and headache. In 1948, John Cade discovered the antimanic effects of lithium ions. This finding led lithium, specifically lithium carbonate, to be used to treat mania associated with bipolar disorder.

Lithium carbonate is used to treat mania, the elevated phase of bipolar disorder. Lithium ions interfere with ion transport processes (see “sodium pump”) that relay and amplify messages carried to the cells of the brain. Mania is associated with irregular increases in protein kinase C (PKC) activity within the brain. Lithium carbonate and sodium valproate, another drug traditionally used to treat the disorder, act in the brain by inhibiting PKC's activity and help to produce other compounds that also inhibit the PKC. Lithium carbonate's mood-controlling properties are not fully understood.

Side effects

lightheadedness, shortness of breath,fever, increased thirst or urination, hallucinations,memory problems, lack of coordination, loss of bowel or bladder control, and convulsions (seizure)

Health effects / safety hazards: Lithium carbonate can be extremely toxic by ingestion in large quantities. It may also cause side effects and other diseases such as nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. It is not flammable.

Industry Processing Sectors

All other basic inorganic chemical manufacturing

All other chemical product and preparation manufacturing

Construction

Electrical equipment, appliance, and component manufacturing

Fabricated metal product manufacturing

Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing (includes clay, glass, cement, concrete, lime, gypsum, and other nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing.

Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing

Primary metal manufacturing

Used as an additive in specialty welding fluxes.

Adverse reactions
Taking lithium salts has risks and side effects. Extended use of lithium to treat various mental disorders has been known to lead to acquired nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Lithium intoxication can affect the central nervous system and renal system and can be lethal.

Red colorant
Lithium carbonate is used to impart a red color to fireworks.

Natural occurrence
Natural lithium carbonate is known as zabuyelite. This mineral is connected with deposits of some salt lakes and some pegmatites

Mechanism of action
Lithium's mechanism of action is still unknownLabel. However, the “inositol depletion theory” suggests 3 main potential. These targets are inositol monophosphatase, inositol polyphosphatase, and glycogen synthase kinase

The “Inositol depletion theory” suggests lithium behaves as an uncompetitive inhibitor of inositol monophosphatase in a manner inversely proportional to the degree of stimulus. This inhibition lowers levels of inositol triphosphate. However, stronger inhibitors of inositol monophosphatase are not as clinically effective and low levels of inositol triphosphate are associated with memory impairment

Lithium acts on inositol polyphosphatase as an uncompetitive inhibitor3. This inhibition is thought to have multiple downstream effects that have yet to be clarified3.

Lithium regulates phosphorylation of GSK-3 which regulates other enzymes through phosphorylation. Lithium can also inhibit GSK-3 through interfering with the magnesium ion in the active site.