An in vitro and in vivo Study of the Release of Mercury Vapor from Different Types of Amalgam Alloys

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Abstract
The aim of the in vitro part of the study was to measure the rate of release of mercury vapor from different types of dental amalgam in air, and in air during cyclic dipping into isotonic saline solution or Fusayama solution. The measurements were carried out by means of the Mercollector/Mercometer system, based on atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Both new (age ∼ 2 months) and old (age ∼ 1.5 years) amalgam specimens were studied. The variations in the rate of release of mercury vapor in air during cyclic dipping into aqueous media were most pronounced during the first day of the 10-day period studied. In air during cyclic dipping into the aqueous media, the conventional amalgam specimens released mercury vapor at lower rates over the whole period than did the dispersed and single-composition types studied.