Amalgam Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Amalgam, including details on dental fillings, dentistry, side-effects.

Dental clinics: A point pollution source, not only of mercury but also of other amalgam constituents.

Shraim A, Alsuhaimi A, Al-Thakafy JT

Taibah University, Faculty of Science, Chemistry Department, Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, Saudi Arabia; University of Queensland, National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology (EnTox), 39 Kessels Road, Brisbane, QLD 4108, Australia.

Current literature suggests that amalgam waste from dental clinics is a point-source of mercury pollution in the environment. However, apart from mercury, other amalgam constituents (e.g. Ag, Sn, Cu, and Zn) in dental clinics' wastewater have not been reported in the literature before. The objective of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of mercury and other metals in the wastewater of some dental clinics and the influent of a wastewater treatment plant in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah (KSA). Samples were collected over a 2-month period from three dental clinics and analyzed for metals using ICP-MS. The mean concentrations of Hg, Ag, Sn, Cu, and Zn in the samples were 5.3±11.1, 0.49±0.96, 3.0±10.7, 10.0±14.5, and 76.7±106mgL(-1), respectively. Additionally, high concentrations of other metals such as Mg (14.4±15.2mgL(-1)), Mn (3.0±4.6mgL(-1)), Fe (3.0±4.5mgL(-1)), Sr (1.6±2.4mgL(-1)), and Ba (6.9±10.3mgL(-1)) were also found. These values are much higher than the local permissible limits. Most of the metals of interest were also detected in the influent of the wastewater treatment plant. This renders dental clinics wastewater a hazardous waste which should be properly treated before it is discharged into the environment.

Published 5 May 2011 in Chemosphere.
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Articles on Amalgam published 26 April 2011:

Changes in health complaints after removal of amalgam fillings.   J Oral Rehabil.

Summary  The aim of the present study was to investigate whether removal of all amalgam fillings was associated with long-term changes in health complaints in a group of patients who attributed subjective health complaints to amalgam fillings. Patients previously examined at the Norwegian Dental Biomaterials Adverse Reaction Unit were included in the study and assigned to a treatment group (n = 20) and a reference group (n = 20). Participants in the treatment group had all amalgam ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Changes in health complaints after removal of amalgam fillings.   J Oral Rehabil.

Summary  The aim of the present study was to investigate whether removal of all amalgam fillings was associated with long-term changes in health complaints in a group of patients who attributed subjective health complaints to amalgam fillings. Patients previously examined at the Norwegian Dental Biomaterials Adverse Reaction Unit were included in the study and assigned to a treatment group (n = 20) and a reference group (n = 20). Participants in the treatment group had all amalgam ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Amalgam published 21 April 2011:

Hospital admissions for neurological and renal diseases among dentists and dental assistants occupationally exposed to mercury.   Occup Environ Med.

Objectives For many years an amalgam containing metallic mercury, which has been associated with neurological and renal diseases, has been used in dentistry. In this nationwide study we compared hospital admissions due to neurological and renal diseases among dentists and dental assistants to admissions in controls. Methods This register-based cohort study included all Danish workers employed in dental clinics, general practitioners' clinics or lawyers' offices between 1964 and 2006. We ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Hospital admissions for neurological and renal diseases among dentists and dental assistants occupationally exposed to mercury.   Occup Environ Med.

Objectives For many years an amalgam containing metallic mercury, which has been associated with neurological and renal diseases, has been used in dentistry. In this nationwide study we compared hospital admissions due to neurological and renal diseases among dentists and dental assistants to admissions in controls. Methods This register-based cohort study included all Danish workers employed in dental clinics, general practitioners' clinics or lawyers' offices between 1964 and 2006. We ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Amalgam published 20 April 2011:

An analysis of total gaseous mercury (TGM) concentrations across the UK from a rural sampling network.   J Environ Monit.

Total gaseous mercury was collected at ten sites, which comprise part of the UK rural heavy metals monitoring network, between 2005 and 2008. Using the gold amalgam technique to capture total gaseous mercury, samples were analysed using a Tekran 2537A mercury vapour analyser. The data showed no upward or downward trend in atmospheric mercury concentrations over the period, with 4 year average concentrations between 1.3 and 1.9 ng m(-3), which are in line with other studies' observed northern ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

An analysis of total gaseous mercury (TGM) concentrations across the UK from a rural sampling network.   J Environ Monit.

Total gaseous mercury was collected at ten sites, which comprise part of the UK rural heavy metals monitoring network, between 2005 and 2008. Using the gold amalgam technique to capture total gaseous mercury, samples were analysed using a Tekran 2537A mercury vapour analyser. The data showed no upward or downward trend in atmospheric mercury concentrations over the period, with 4 year average concentrations between 1.3 and 1.9 ng m(-3), which are in line with other studies' observed northern ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Amalgam published 15 April 2011:

Effect of teeth amalgam on mercury levels in the colostrums human milk in Lenjan.   Environ Monit Assess.

Human milk is usually the only source of food for infants during the first 4 to 5 months of their life. Maternal environmental mercury exposure is directly related to fish consumption or amalgam filling. In this research, 38 human milk samples were collected from mothers of Lenjan area who were not occupationally exposed with mercury. Mercury concentration in human milk was determined by AMA254 Mercury Analyzer. A level of mercury was examined in relation to somatometric, demographic and ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Effect of teeth amalgam on mercury levels in the colostrums human milk in Lenjan.   Environ Monit Assess.

Human milk is usually the only source of food for infants during the first 4 to 5 months of their life. Maternal environmental mercury exposure is directly related to fish consumption or amalgam filling. In this research, 38 human milk samples were collected from mothers of Lenjan area who were not occupationally exposed with mercury. Mercury concentration in human milk was determined by AMA254 Mercury Analyzer. A level of mercury was examined in relation to somatometric, demographic and ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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