Rabbit lung after inhalation of lithium chloride.

Rabbits were exposed to aerosols of lithium chloride in metal concentrations of 0.6 and 1.9 mg/m3 (mass median aerodynamic diameter of 1 micron) for 4-8 weeks, 5 days/week, 6 h/day. The lungs were studied by light and electron microscopy, with particular reference to inflammatory changes, structure of alveolar macrophages and alveolar epithelial cells. Macrophages recovered by lung lavage were studied by light and electron microscopy and their oxidative metabolic activity was measured. The content of phospholipids was analysed in lung tissue. Exposure to lithium produced no significant effects. It thus seems that Li+ is less toxic to the lung than the other metals investigated with the same test system, e.g. Ni2+, Cd2+, Co2+, Cr3+ and Cr6+.