[Mercury concentrations in the urine of children with and without amalgam fillings]

Studies on adults documented that most of the urinary concentration in occupationally non-exposed persons is determined by the number and extent of their amalgam fillings. Very few data concerning the mercury exposure of children are available. In this study the mercury concentration in the urine of 3-15-year-old children with and without amalgam fillings was determined. The mean urinary mercury concentration for the children without amalgam (n = 93) was 0.17 microgram/l, and for the children with amalgam fillings (n = 86) it was 0.70 microgram/l. The creatinine adjusted values were 0.19 microgram/g and 0.64 microgram/g, respectively. This difference was significant (p < 0.001). Also, a significant correlation was found between the number of amalgam points (each amalgam surface had been given 1 to 3 points depending on its extent) and the urinary mercury concentration (r = 0.69).