Lithium concentration in tap water, bottled mineral water, and Danube River water in Hungary

A recent study reveals that lithium concentrations in Hungarian tap water, bottled mineral water, and Danube River water vary significantly depending on the source. Groundwater exhibits the highest median lithium concentration at 8.55 µg/L, followed by surface water from open reservoirs (5.02 µg/L) and bank-filtrated river water (3.52 µg/L). Bottled mineral waters show a wide range of concentrations, from 4.2 to 209 µg/L, with a median of 17.8 µg/L. The Danube River, a key water source for drinking water utilities using bank filtration, has mean and median lithium concentrations of 2.78 and 2.64 µg/L, respectively. The study also found a correlation between lithium and potassium concentrations but no significant correlations with other elements. This research provides critical insights into the current status of lithium in Hungarian aquatic environments, which is relevant given the increasing production and recycling of lithium batteries globally.

Dobosy, P., Illés, Á., Endrédi, A., & Záray, G. (2023). Lithium concentration in tap water, bottled mineral water, and Danube River water in Hungary. Scientific Reports, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-38864-6