# On the Use of Lithium as a Stream Tracer A Reading List

**Lithium Tracer**

Assessment of metal loads in watersheds affected by acid mine drainage
by using tracer injection and synoptic sampling: Cement Creek, Colorado,
USA. BA Kimball, RL Runkel, K Walton-Day, KE Bencala, *Applied
Geochemistry*, **17**:1183-1207, 2002.

Testing and comparison of four ionic tracers to measure stream flow loss
by multiple tracer injection. GW Zellweger, *Hydrological Processes*,
**8**:155-165, 1994.

Characterization of transport in an acidic and metal-rich mountain
stream based on a lithium tracer injection and simulations of transient
storage. KE Bencala, DM McKnight, GW Zellweger, *Water Resources
Research*, **26**(5): 989-1000, doi: 10.1029/89WR03235, 1990.

Interactions of solutes and streambed sediments 2. A dynamic analysis of
coupled hydrologic and chemical processes that determine solute
transport. KE Bencala, *Water Resources Research*, **20**(12):
1804-1814, 1984.

**Lithium Background**

Lithium isotopic composition and concentration of the upper continental
crust. FA Teng, WF McDonough, RL Rudnick, C Dalpe, PB Tomascak, BW
Chappell, S Gao, *Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta*, **68**(20):
4167-4178, doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2004.03.031, 2004**.**

Lithium and its isotopes in major world rivers: implications for
weathering and the oceanic budget. Y Huh, L-H Chan, L Zhang, JM Edmond,
*Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta*, **62**(12): 2039-2051, 1998.

**Lithium Stream Tracer Examples**

Geochemistry of Red Mountain Creek, Colorado, under low-flow conditions,
August 2002. RL Runkel, BA Kimball, K Walton-Day, PL Verplanck, *US
Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report* 2005-5101, 2005,
<http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2005/5101/>.

Reach-scale cation exchange controls on major ion chemistry of an
Antarctic glacial meltwater stream. MN Gooseff, DM McKnight and RL
Runkel, *Aquatic Geochemistry*, **10**: 221-238, 2004.

Application of tracer-injection techniques to demonstrate surface-water
and ground-water interactions between an alpine stream and the North
Star mine, Upper Animas River watershed, Southwestern Colorado. WG
Wright, B Moore, USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report, 03-4172,
2003, <http://pubs.usgs.gov/wri/wri034172/>.

Transport and cycling of iron and hydrogen peroxide in a freshwater
stream: influence of organic acids. DT Scott, RL Runkel, DM McKnight, BM
Voelker, BA Kimball, ER Carraway, *Water Resources Research*,
**39**(11): 1308 doi: 10.1029/2002WR001768, 2003.

In-stream sorption of fulvic acid in an acidic stream: a stream-scale
transport experiment. DM McKnight, GM Hornberger, KE Bencala, EW Boyer,
*Water Resources Research* **38**(1), doi: 10.1029/2001WR000269, 2002.

The effects of partly irreversible solute exchange: comparison between
conservative and sorptive transport in streams. K Jonas Forsman, K
Johansson, K Jonsson, *Journal of Hydrology*, **256(1-2)**: 1-15, 2002.

pH dependence of iron photoreduction in a rocky mountain stream affected
by acid mine drainage. DM McKnight, BA Kimball, RL Runkel, *Hydrological
Processes*, **15**(10): 1979-1992, doi: 10.1002/hyp.251, 2001.

The contribution of old and new water to a storm hydrograph determined
by tracer addition to a whole catchment. R Collins, A Jenkins, M Harrow,
*Hydrological Processes* **14**:701-711, 2000.

Analysis of transient storage subject to unsteady flow: diel flow
variation in an Antarctic stream. RL Runkel, DM McKnight, ED Andrews,
*Journal of North American Benthological Society*, **17**(2):145-154,
1998.

Reactive Solute Transport in acidic streams. RE Broshears, *Water, Air
and Soil Pollution*, **90**:195-204, 1996.

Phosphate dynamics in an acidic mountain stream: interactions involving
algal uptake, sorption by iron oxide, and photoreduction. CM Tate, RE
Broshears, DM McKnight, *Liminology and Oceanography*,
**40**(5):938-946, 1995.

Tracer-dilution experiments and solute-transport simulations for a
mountain stream, Saint Kevin Gulch, Colorado. RE Broshears, KE Bencala,
BA Kimball, DM McKnight, USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report
92-4081, 1993.

The chemistry of iron, aluminum, and dissolved organic material in three
acidic, metal-enriched, mountain streams, as controlled by watershed and
in-stream processes. DM McKnight, KE Bencala, *Water Resources
Research*, **26**(12): 3087-3100, doi: 10.1029/90WR01510, 1990.

Reactive iron transport in an acidic mountain stream in Summit County,
Colorado: A hydrologic perspective. DM McKnight, KE Bencala, *Geochimica
et Cosmochimica Acta*, **53**: 2225-2234, 1989.

Data on the solute concentration within the subsurface flows of Little
Lost Man Creek in response to a transport experiment, Redwood National
Park, northwest California. GW Zellweger, VC Kennedy, KE Bencala, RJ
Avanzino, AP Jackman, FJ Triska, USGS Open File Report 86-403W.

Interactions of solutes and streambed sediments 1. An experimental
analysis of cation and anion transport in a mountain stream. KE Bencala,
VC Kennedy, GW Zellweger, AP Jackman, RJ Azanzino, *Water Resources
Research*, **20**(12): 1797-1803, 1984.

Rhodamine WT dye losses in a mountain stream environment. KE Bencala, RE
Rathbun, AP Jackman, VC Kennedy, GW Zellweger, RJ Avanzino, *Water
Resources Bulletin*, **19**(6): 943-950, 1983.

**Related Lithium Tracer Examples**

An evaluation of two tracers in surface-flow wetlands: rhodamine WT and
lithium. FE Dierberg, TA DeBusk, *Wetlands* **25**(1): 8-25, 2005.

Nitrate removal in riparian wetlands: interactions between surface flow
and soils. JC Rutherford, ML Nguyen, *Journal of Environmental Quality*
**33**:1133-1143, 2004.

A hydrological tracer experiment with LiCl in a high mountain lake. H
Thies, U Nickus, C Arnold, and R Psenner, *Hydrological Processes*,
**16**: 2329-2337, doi: 10.1002/hyp.1004, 2002.

Hyporheic exchange of solutes and colloids with moving bed forms. AI
Packman, NH Brooks, *Water Resources Research*, **37**(10):2591-2605,
doi: 10.1029/2001WR000477, 2001.

Ion chromatographic determination of lithium at trace level
concentrations-Application to a tracer experiment in a high-mountain
lake. U Nickus, H. Thies, *Journal of Chromatography A*,
**920**:201-204, 2001.

Kaolinite exchange between a stream and streambed: laboratory
experiments and validation of a colloid transport model. AI Packman, NH
Brooks, JJ Morgan, *Water Resources Research*, **36**(8): 2363-2372,
doi: 10.1029/2000WR900058, 2000.

Hydrologic variability of small Northern Michigan Lakes measured by the
addition of tracers. JJ Cole, ML Pace, *Ecosystems*, **1**:310-320,
1998.

**Aquatic Effects**

Toxicity of lithium to three freshwater organisms and the antagonistic
effect of sodium. LA Kszos, JJ Beauchamp, AJ Stewart, *Ecotoxicology*
**12**:427-437, 2003.

Review of lithium in the aquatic environment: distribution in the United
States, Toxicity and case example of groundwater contamination. LA
Kszos, AJ Stewart, *Ecotoxicology*, **12**:439-447, 2003.

Toxicological and ecotoxicological assessment of water tracers. H
Behrens, U Beims, H Dieter, G Dietze, T Eikmann, T Grummt, H Hanisch, H
Henseling, W Käß, H Kerndorff, C Leibundgut, U Müller-Wegener, I
Rönnefahrt, B Scharenberg, R Schleyer, W Schloz, and F Tilkes,
*Hydrogeology Journal*, **9**:321-325, 2001.

Caution on using lithium (Li^+^) as a conservative tracer in
hydrological studies. AJ Stewart, LA Kszos, *Liminology and
Oceanography*, **41**(1): 190-191, 1996.

Using lithium (Li^+^) as a conservative tracer does not prevent algal
uptake of phosphate in an acid mine drainage stream (Reply to the
Comment by Stewart and Kszos). CM Tate, DM McKnight, RE Broshears,
*Liminology and Oceanography*, **41**(1): 191-192, 1996.

**Commercial Product Information**

The US Geological Survey does *NOT* endorse or recommend commercial
products.

The following is provided *ONLY* for identification and information
purposes.

Morre-Tec

New Jersey

908-688-9009

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FMC Corporation

Lithium Division

2801 Yorkmont Rd Ste 300

Charlotte, NC 28208

888-lithium

F: 704-868-5370

[http://www.fmclithium.com](http://www.fmclithium.com/)

International Chemical Safety Cards

<http://www.msdsonline.com/>

<http://www.msds.com/>

Compilation by Marisa Cox and Ken Bencala, September 23, 2005

http://water.usgs.gov/nrp/proj.bib/bencala.html

mhcox@usgs.gov, kbencala@usgs.gov