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Mercury levels in dental surgeries and dental personnel in Slovenia |
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| Authors: | Franek Klemenc Mirjana kreblin Milena Horvat Peter Stegnar |
| Affiliation: | a Department for Dental Diseases, University Dental Clinic, Slovenia, Yugoslavia b Department of Nuclear Chemistry, “J. Stefan” Institute University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia |
| Abstract: | The level of mercury exposure in Slovenian dental practice was studied by measurement of air mercury levels in 63 surgeries and by analysis of the mercury content in blood and urine samples of professionally exposed and control groups (total of 77 participants). The mean ambiental mercury concentration for all investigated surgeries was 2.8 ug Hg/m3 (range: 0.4–8.2), which is considerably below the health-based occupational exposure limit of 25 ug/m3. No significant relationships between age or type of surgeries, or the time during the working day and the air mercury levels were found. The mean value for mercury in blood was 3.0 ng Hg/g (range: 0.9–7.7), which can be considered as the normal range for the general population. The occupational profile of the workers, years in the profession, as well as sex, showed a nonsignificant effect on blood mercury. Urinary mercury levels were also low. Only 3 of 44 values exceeded 15 ng Hg/g. No influence of sex or occupational profile was found; however, a significant negative linear relationship (r=−0.473; P=0.0012) was observed between the concentration of mercury in urine and years in the profession. The data indicate good mercury hygiene in Slovenian dentistry. |
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