Chin G, Chong J, Kluczewska A, Lau A, Gorjy S, Tennant M
School of Dentistry, University of Western Australia.
Aust Dent J. 2000 Dec;45(4):246-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1834-7819.2000.tb00258.x.
Dental amalgam is one of the most commonly used materials in restorative dentistry. However, one of its major components, mercury, is of particular concern due to its potential adverse effects on humans and the environment. In this review, the environmental impact of dental amalgam will be discussed, with particular reference to the effects attributed to its mercury component. Mercury commonly occurs in nature as sulfides and in a number of minerals. Globally, between 20,000-30,000 tons of mercury are discharged into the environment each year as a result of human activities. According to a recent German report, approximately 46 per cent of the freshly triturated amalgam is inserted as new amalgam restorations and the rest is waste. Depending on the presence of an amalgam separating unit, some of the generated amalgam-contaminated sludge is discharged into the sewage system. Lost or extracted teeth with amalgam fillings and amalgam-contaminated waste, such as trituration capsules and cotton rolls are discharged with the solid waste and, in most instances, are incinerated. Use of disinfectants containing oxidizing substances in dental aspirator kits may contribute to remobilization of mercury and its subsequent release into the environment. Nevertheless, dental mercury contamination is only a small proportion of terrestrial mercury (3-4 per cent), which is quite insignificant compared with industrial pollution and combustion of fossil fuels by vehicles. The environmental impact of dental mercury is mainly due to the poor management of dental amalgam waste. Proper collection of mercury-contaminated solid waste prevents the release of mercury vapour during combustion. In addition, the use of amalgam separating devices reduces the amount of amalgam-contaminated water released from dental clinics.
牙科汞合金是口腔修复学中最常用的材料之一。然而，其主要成分之一汞因其对人类和环境的潜在不利影响而备受关注。在本综述中，将讨论牙科汞合金对环境的影响，尤其涉及归因于其汞成分的影响。汞在自然界中通常以硫化物形式存在于多种矿物质中。全球范围内，由于人类活动，每年有20000 - 30000吨汞排放到环境中。根据德国最近的一份报告，新研磨的汞合金约46%被用作新的汞合金修复体，其余则作为废物。根据是否存在汞合金分离装置，一些产生的被汞合金污染的污泥会排放到污水系统中。带有汞合金填充物的脱落或拔除的牙齿以及被汞合金污染的废物，如研磨胶囊和棉卷，会随固体废物一起排放，并且在大多数情况下被焚烧。牙科吸引器套件中使用含有氧化性物质的消毒剂可能会促使汞重新移动并随后释放到环境中。然而，牙科汞污染仅占陆地汞的一小部分（3% - 4%），与工业污染和车辆燃烧化石燃料相比，这是相当微不足道的。牙科汞对环境的影响主要是由于牙科汞合金废物管理不善。妥善收集受汞污染的固体废物可防止燃烧过程中汞蒸气的释放。此外，使用汞合金分离装置可减少牙科诊所排放的被汞合金污染的水量。
