Contamination of soil with lithium (Li) is likely to increase due to its wider dispersal in the environment, associated in particular, with the disposal of the now ubiquitous Li-ion batteries. There is, however, a paucity of information on the behaviour of Li in the soil-plant system. We measured the sorption of added Li to soil, and uptake of Li by food and fodder species. Around New Zealand, soil concentrations were shown to range from 0.08 mg/kg to 92 mg/kg, and to be positively correlated with clay content. Most geogenic Li in soil is insoluble and hence unavailable to plants but, when Li⁺ is added to soil, there is only limited sorption of Li. We found that Li sorption increased with increasing soil pH, and decreased proportionately with increasing Li concentrations. Compared to other cations in soil, Li is mobile and may leach into receiving waters, be taken up by plants, or have other biological impacts. In a soil spiked with just 5 mg/kg, plants took up several hundred mg/kg Li into leaves with no reduction in biomass. Lithium appears to be a phloem immobile element, with the highest concentrations occurring in the older leaves and the lowest concentrations occurring in the seeds or fruits. These results may raise concerns and risks in situations where food and fodder crops are associated with waste disposal.

锂（Li）对土壤的污染可能会由于其在环境中的广泛传播而增加，特别是与现在普遍使用的锂离子电池的处置有关。然而，关于锂在土壤-植物系统中的行为的信息很少。我们测量了添加的锂在土壤中的吸收以及食物和饲料中对锂的吸收。新西兰各地的土壤浓度范围从0.08 mg / kg到92 mg / kg，与粘土含量呈正相关。土壤中大多数地质成因的锂都是不可溶的，因此植物无法利用，但是当Li ⁺如果将其添加到土壤中，则对Li的吸附有限。我们发现，随着土壤pH值的增加，锂的吸收增加，而随着锂浓度的增加，锂的吸收也成比例地下降。与土壤中的其他阳离子相比，锂是可移动的，并且可能浸入接收水中，被植物吸收或具有其他生物影响。在仅添加5 mg / kg的土壤中，植物在叶片中吸收了数百mg / kg的Li，而生物量却没有减少。锂似乎是韧皮部不可移动的元素，在老叶中浓度最高，而在种子或果实中浓度最低。在粮食和饲料作物与废物处理相关的情况下，这些结果可能会引起关注和风险。