Response to the letter of Walach et al. Int. J. Hyg. Environ. Health 206, 139 – 141 (2003)

Mercury content of whole cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco packets using pyrolysis atomic absorption spectrometry with gold amalgamation

“…Others have shown that a considerable part of the Hg in saliva is present as amalgam particles [18], and that Hg levels in saliva do not correlate with concentrations in blood and urine [19].…”

Atomic spectrometry update. Clinical and biological materials, foods and beverages

“…They reported a significant association of Hg and Se in maternal and umbilical cord blood but not in placenta tissue. Zimmer and colleagues 159 used CVAAS to determine concentrations of Hg in blood, urine and saliva in one group of women who had selfreported ill health effects arising from amalgam fillings ('amalgam sensitive' subjects) and a second control group with no reported ill health effects. Median blood and urine Hg levels in the 'amalgam sensitive' group were 2.35 mg l 21 and 1.55 mg l 21 , respectively, compared with values of 2.4 mg l 21 and 1.8 mg l 21 in the control group.…”