TY - JOUR
T1 - Effectiveness of Oxide Films in Reducing Mercury Release from Amalgams
AU - Ferracane, J. L.
AU - Hanawa, T.
AU - Okabe, T.
PY - 1992/5
Y1 - 1992/5
N2 - The release of mercury from four freshly-triturated amalgams into air, argon, and moist air environments was quantitated at three different temperatures. Although a measurable amount of mercury was released from dental amalgam, the evaporation rate was immediately reduced by several phenomena, the most important being the formation of an oxide film on the surface. This hypothesis was supported by the fact that release rates were elevated in an inert argon environment, but declined dramatically once air was introduced and oxidation could occur. The further amalgamation of “free” mercury, as well as the presence of water vapor, also contributed to the reduced release rates observed during aging. Mercury release was reduced to a negligible level within three to four hours after trituration. Only one of the amalgams, Tytin, demonstrated a thermal dependence for mercury release in air. The results of this study suggest that the exposure to mercury vapor from a freshly placed amalgam restoration would be negligible in consideration of the normal estimated daily intake from all other sources.
AB - The release of mercury from four freshly-triturated amalgams into air, argon, and moist air environments was quantitated at three different temperatures. Although a measurable amount of mercury was released from dental amalgam, the evaporation rate was immediately reduced by several phenomena, the most important being the formation of an oxide film on the surface. This hypothesis was supported by the fact that release rates were elevated in an inert argon environment, but declined dramatically once air was introduced and oxidation could occur. The further amalgamation of “free” mercury, as well as the presence of water vapor, also contributed to the reduced release rates observed during aging. Mercury release was reduced to a negligible level within three to four hours after trituration. Only one of the amalgams, Tytin, demonstrated a thermal dependence for mercury release in air. The results of this study suggest that the exposure to mercury vapor from a freshly placed amalgam restoration would be negligible in consideration of the normal estimated daily intake from all other sources.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026858476&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0026858476&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/00220345920710050401
DO - 10.1177/00220345920710050401
M3 - Article
C2 - 1607431
AN - SCOPUS:0026858476
SN - 0022-0345
VL - 71
SP - 1151
EP - 1155
JO - Journal of dental research
JF - Journal of dental research
IS - 5
ER -