title: Improper waste disposal of silver-mercury amalgam.
abstract: The objective of this work was to estimate the quantity of mercury residue present in dental amalgam that is generated and discarded in the city of Manaus (Amazon-Brazil). For this purpose, the locations of amalgam usage (10 public and 31 private dental clinics), the method by which the residue is discarded (14 clinics improper disposal), and the analysis of total mercury in the sediment of the controlled landfill (2.68-3 μgHg/g), were described. It was concluded that: there are dental clinics in the city that discard mercury residue into the common waste disposal system, which contravenes health safety standards.
authors.affiliation: Centro Universitário Nilton Lins-CUNL, Laboratório de Toxicologia, Av. Prof. Nilton Lins 3259, Parque das Laranjeiras, Manaus, AM, 69058-040, Brazil.
authors.forename: J P B Lollobrigida
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Nozawa
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Honda
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000032:analysis*; D003740:Dental Clinics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018057:Dental Waste / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019049:Developed Countries; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D012834:Silver / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D018057:Dental Waste; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal; C107243:silver mercury amalgam; D012834:Silver; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008628:Mercury