Dissolution of metallic mercury in artificial saliva and eleven other solutions.

Dissolution of metallic mercury immersed in various solutions for one, three, seven, and 14 days was investigated by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Solutions used in this study were artificial saliva, compounds of the four groups forming the artificial saliva (inorganic salts, amino acids, vitamins, other organic compounds) wholly or in part, 0.9% NaCl solution (saline solution), Ringer's solution, and distilled water. Artificial saliva showed a level of mercury dissolution seven times higher than that of saline or Ringer's solution. A large amount of dissolution, similar to that in artificial saliva, was found in the solution of the other organic compounds (containing glutathione) and in a solution containing only glutathione. Mercury dissolution in the solution of vitamins was small. There was a similarity in dissolution amounts between the solution of inorganic salts and that of amino acids. Glutathione played a major role in the dissolution of mercury.