P-268 MERCURY LEVELS IN URINE AND HAIR OF DENTISTS IN MOROCCO: A PILOT STUDY

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Dentists are exposed to mercury through their handling of dental amalgam, which can accumulate in their bodies to higher levels than non-occupationally exposed individuals. This study aims to determine occupational exposure levels to mercury and its impact on the health of Moroccan dentists. Methods A cross-sectional study was implemented among a random sample of 34 dentists operating in private dental clinics. They were asked to fill in a self-questionnaire inquiring about socio-demographics and work environment and practices. Urine and hair samples were collected. Mercury concentration in urine (U-Hg) and hair (H-Hg) was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Correlations between amalgam use and the biological parameters were determined using Spearman’s coefficient (non-parametric test). Results The mean urine concentration was 1.2 μg/g creatinine (SD = 1.5, range: 0.18-8.2). The mean hair concentration was 0.9 μ g/g (SD = 0.64, range: 0.28-2.7). Amalgam use correlated significantly with H-Hg (ρ = 64.60%; p-value < 0.001) and with U-Hg (ρ = 37.50%; p-value < 0.03). Discussion The higher correlation with H-Hg compared to U-Hg implicitly suggests the impact of chronic exposure to this metal in dentists of our study area. The U-Hg in our sample was below the Occupational Biological Exposure Indice for Mercury. U-Hg and H-Hg were also lower than what has been reported in other studies. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to identify mercury levels in urine and hair of Moroccan dentists. Further investigation is needed to assess the impact of this exposure on their health