Corrosion of dental amalgams in solutions of sodium chloride, sodium sulfide and ammonia.

Specimens were prepared from three different dental amalgams and were immersed in 0.5% aqueous solutions of sodium sulfide, ammonia and sodium chloride. Every month and over a 6-month experimental period the solutions were replaced with fresh electrolyte and were analyzed in an atomic absorption spectrophotometer with respect to their content in silver, mercury, copper, tin and zinc. In sulfide solutions large amounts of tin and mercury were released from the amalgams while none of the other elements could be detected. Copper, tin and mercury were mostly dissolved in ammonia solutions. An increased silver dissolution could also be observed. Zinc was the first element to be released in sodium chloride solutions. After a 4-month immersion, considerable amounts of copper and mercury could also be found in the same solutions.