Use of inductively coupled plasma-emission spectroscopy and mercury vapor analyses to evaluate elemental release from a high-copper dental amalgam: a pilot study.
BACKGROUND
The use of dental amalgam as a direct restorative material has been a subject of controversy for many years. The potential safety of amalgam has been questioned because of leakage of elements such as mercury, copper, tin, and silver.


OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the elemental leaching from Tytin dental amalgam placed in deionized water for 2 months. Both mercury vapor and elemental (silver, copper, tin, and mercury) analyses were performed.


METHODS
Two capsules of Tytin amalgam were triturated (one for the precipitate and liquid analysis, and the other for the mercury vapor analysis) and stored in a polypropylene tube with 10 mL deionized water for 60 days at room temperature. The amalgam pellet then was removed and rinsed with deionized water. The resulting liquid was separated from a precipitate, and 2 separate analyses were run: one on the liquid without any precipitate and another on the precipitate. Elemental analyses for copper (Cu), tin (Sn), mercury (Hg), and silver (Ag) were determined by inductively coupled plasma-emission spectroscopy with a Perkin-Elmer P2000 spectrometer. Mercury vapor analyses were performed daily for 60 days with a Jerome 431-X vapor analyzer.


RESULTS
The maximum amount of copper (80 microg), silver (2.6 microg), mercury (15 microg), and tin (550 microg) was found in the precipitate. The maximum amount of mercury vapor released was 67 microg/m(3)/d.


CONCLUSIONS
Under the conditions of this in vitro study, there was a significant amount of elemental leaching and mercury vapor release from the Tytin amalgam over a 60-day period.
Cohen
B I
BI
Essential Dental Laboratories, South Hackensack, NJ, USA. EDS@pipeline.com
Penugonda
B
B
D011232:Chemical Precipitation; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011126:Polypropylenes; D012449:Safety; D012834:Silver / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014001:Tin / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D014835:Volatilization; D014867:Water
D003722:Dental Alloys; D011126:Polypropylenes; D014867:Water; D012834:Silver; C036886:tytin; D014001:Tin; D003300:Copper; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008628:Mercury