Abstract:
This study investigated the flow and amount of mercury from dental amalgam waste. The sample of amalgam each patient was collected and mass balance calculated by case by case. It was found that the fraction of mercury in In teeth was 43.76%, residual amalgam (RA) was 31.49% and carved surplus of amalgam (Carving) was 24.74%, that can contribution to attached with cotton gauze (SW) 14.95% and flowing through the sewer system (DWW) 9.78%., and capsule cover was 0.02 or 0.082 mg/capsule. The proportion of mercury emissions into the environment can prediction by the number of teeth with amalgam fillings of Thailand in 2557 B.E. It was found that fraction of mercury contain with SW, DWW, RA and Capsule Cover was 2.18 1.43 4.11 and 0.002516 ton per year, respectively and 7.71 ton of total mercury which has the potential to be discarded in the environment. The efficiency of amalgam separator, its install 6 dental clinics, can be removed mercury from sewer system was 81.95%.