Waste Management in Dentistry

Odontology
MANAGEMENT OF DENTAL RADIOGRAPHIC WASTE: A REVIEW

Jyothirmai KONERU1, Neha MAHAJAN2, Mallika MAHALAKSHMI3
Dr, Senior Lecturer, Dept. Oral Medicine and Radiology, Noorul Islam College of Dental Sciences, Trivandrum, Kerala
Dr, Senior Lecturer, Dept. Oral Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Dental Sciences, Sehora, Jammu
3
Dr, Reader, Dept. Oral Medicine and Radiology, Mamata Dental College, Khamam, Andhra Pradesh
Corresponding author: jyothirmaik2006@gmail.com
1
2
Abstract
In most cases, radiographies are used by dentists for
the diagnosis and/or treatment of patients, so that they
may be considered as a third eye for the dentist. Unfortunately, the radiographic procedures generate certain substances with potential challenge to the environment.
Although individual dentists generate only small amounts
of environmentally hazardous wastes, the accumulated
waste produced by their profession may have a significant
environmental impact, which in turn may pose risks to
human health. This paper addresses the environmental
impact of dental radiographic waste and describes measures that can be taken by dentists and their team to reduce
the production of potentially harmful wastes.
Keywords: radiographic waste, dental lead, film, silver
1. INTRODUCTION
The discovery of X-rays has revolutionized
the field of medicine and, consequently, dentistry.
Radiographies, now largely used by dentists for
the diagnosis and/or treatment of patients, have
become a third eye for the dentist. Basically, the
technique performed to obtain radiographic
images involves exposure of radiographic films
to X-rays, followed by their conventional
processing, including image developing,
washing, fixing, final washing and drying [1].
Unfortunately, these radiographic procedures
generate certain waste substances with potential
challenge to the environment. Examples of such
waste materials include spent X-ray processing
solutions, processor system cleaners, lead foil,
lead aprons, lead shields and used X-ray films.
Although individual dentists generate only small
amounts of environmentally hazardous wastes,
the accumulated waste produced by their
profession may have a significant environmental
impact which, in turn, may pose risk to human
health [2].
206
If discharged into a sewer system, hazardous

liquid wastes can potentially impact the waste
water treatment plant and/or pass through the
treatment plant into bays, oceans, rivers, or other
receiving waters. Alternatively, if materials are
disposed of in the trash, they may eventually
contaminate the soil, ground water, creating
public health problems. Most of the radiographic
waste generated in the dental office can be
managed as non-hazardous waste, if proper
disposal guidelines are followed. For example,
the slightly basic lead waste can be recycled, as
well as silver-containing waste, while the liquid
developer can be disposed down the drain if
local pH limits are not exceeded [3]. The present
paper addresses the environmental impact of
dental radiographic waste and describes
measures that can be taken by dentists and their
team to reduce the amount of potentially harmful
wastes.
2. LEAD WASTE
The lead-containing products used in dentistry
are lead foils, shields and aprons.
Lead foil is used in intraoral lms to protect
them from backscatter and secondary irradiation.
The lead content of this foil is between 69 and
85% [4]. Most dentists prefer to discard the lead
foil in the common garbage, thinking of the small
amount of examinations they performed [1].
Based on the studies of Tsuji et al., about 11.2 g
of lead waste would be produced during
examination of a new patient with full mouth
radiographies. The lead contained in the foil can
be leached from the landlls if no leachate
collection system is activated. During the
Volume 4 Issue 3 July / September 2014
anaerobic acid subphase of the degradation

process, microorganisms break down the organic
material, producing organic acids, such as acetic
acid, which results in a pH drop. This acidic pH
can cause significant dissolution of lead from the
radiographic foil in only 17 hours. Thus, lead
enters the ecosystem [4]. No safe level of exposure
to lead was found out, lead being toxic even in
low doses. Lead poisoning in adults can affect
the peripheral and central nervous systems,
kidneys, blood pressure and the reproductive
systems. Children are more sensitive to lead than
adults, as their exposure is increased by their
hand-to-mouth activity, their gut absorbing lead
more readily than an adult. The developing CNS
is more vulnerable to toxicants than a mature
CNS [5, 6].
According to a study done by Carvalho et al.,
[1] more than 72% of dentists reuse the lead foils
for bite registration, which put at risk patients
health, as lead can be easily dissolved by human
saliva. Additionally, some dentists or the
supporting staff do not wash their hands nor
change their gloves after processing intraoral
lms. Lead oxide might adhere to the gloves or
hands and can be introduced onto instruments
and dental paraphernalia used in the mouths of
patients. Dental lms stored in certain lead-lined
lm containers were also identied as a potential
source of lead exposure for patients and
practitioners, as a white layer of approximately
80% lead covered the dental lm [4].
Reducing environmental lead contamination
is an easy and inexpensive task for dentists. The
lead foil from film packets has to be collected and
returned back to the manufacturer for recycling.
The only expense would be for postage. It appears
that there is lack of awareness among the dentists
on this service offered by manufacturers, as the
companies report that only about 5% of the sold
products are returned [2, 7]. Even lead aprons
and lead shields should not be thrown into the
regular garbage, yet returned to the manufacturer.
[3, 8].
3. X-RAY FILM PROCESSING WASTE

Dental hospitals that operate conventional
imaging use chemicals like developer, fixer, and
International Journal of Medical Dentistry
equipment cleaner. Each of these chemical

solutions is unique and requires special handling
and disposal procedures [3].
4. DEVELOPER
Typically, the used developer is not a
hazardous waste, because of its low silver content
(usually below the regulatory level of 5 mg/l
silver) and lack of other constituents or
characteristics that would make it dangerous.
Developer solutions are caustic in nature, i.e.,
they have a high pH, of approximately 10.
Consequently, the waste developer may be
flushed down the drain, as long as the pH of the
solution does not exceed the pH standard of the
local public waste water treatment authority. It
is always better to check with the local sewer
authority before disposal [3].
Dental hospitals working with individual
septic disposal systems should not pour this
material into the drain because developer
solutions are composed of aromatic phenolic
compounds and aminoacid salts whose chemical
oxygen demand is high, and the products of its
reactions can harm the septic system. They
should contact an industrial wastewater disposal
company for disposal of these wastes [1].
5. FIXER
Fixer solutions remove approximately 35-45%
of the undeveloped silver halide compounds
from the lm emulsion, depending on the object
exposed [9]. Spent x-ray fixer contains high levels
of silver, occurring mostly in the form of silver
thiosulphate complexes, which are extremely
stable and have low dissociation constants. There
are virtually no free silver ions in the used fixer
solution. Waste water treatment processes
convert silver thiosulphate to silver sulfide,
which remains in the sludge. An aquatic life
toxicity study using fathead minnows showed
that silver thiosulphate was more than 17,500
times less toxic and silver sulfide was more than
15,000 times less toxic than the free silver ions.
Consequently, silver in fixer solutions has little
adverse environmental effects. However, sewer
authorities in some areas impose limits on silver
207
Jyothirmai KONERU, Neha MAHAJAN, Mallika MAHALAKSHMI
in waste water and, in some cases, even mandate

pretreatment [10, 11].
Silver from the used fixer is a valuable resource
that should be recycled. There are two basic
management options for this: (1) onsite treatment
and disposal; (2) offsite treatment and disposal.
Whichever the treatment, silver is easily and
economically recyclable, recycling remaining the
preferred method [3, 12].
If the practice generates only small quantities
of fixer, it may be more cost-effective and efficient
to have the fixer transported off-site for silver
removal. By off-site disposal, 100% recovery of
silver in x-ray fixer is guaranteed. It can be
transported to silver reclaiming facility or to the
manufacturers or distributors of fixer solutions.
Some of them apply the take back policy for
solutions purchased from them. When storing
the fixer for off-site treatment or disposal,
remember to collect and store the fixer in a closed
plastic container. Label the container Used
fixer alongwith the date when it was first added
to the container [10].
On-site recovery of silver from the fixer
involves either metallic replacement or
electroplating methods [13]. Metallic replacement
uses cartridges through which silver-containing
used fixer solutions are poured. The silver in
solution and the solid metal (iron) interact and
the more active metal (iron) goes into solution.
The less active metal then becomes solid (silver
sludge), being settled to the bottom of the
cartridge. In the electroplating method, the waste
solutions come into contact with two electrodes,
through which a current passes. The cathode
captures the silver. In either case, scrap silver can
be sold to silver refiners and buyers [10,13].
On-site silver recovery is often an expensive
alternative to off-site treatment unless the
practice generates large amounts of radiographic
films, yet it can be considered when there is no
off-site disposal system, to comply with the local
sewer authority regulations.
6. DENTAL FILM
Neither the unused film should be placed in
the general waste, as it contains unreacted silver
that can be toxic for the environment. Safe
208
disposal can be generally accomplished by

simply contacting the supplier of the product
and returning the waste for recycling.
Alternatively, a certified waste carrier can be
contacted to dispose off the waste, ideally by
recycling [8].
7. X- RAY SYSTEM CLEANERS

Many cleaners used for automatic processors
contain chromium, which is a hazardous waste
when discarded. As an alternative, it is easier
and cheaper to use a system cleaner that does not
contain chromium [3].
8. CONCLUSIONS
Dentists have moral and professional
responsibility towards the dental as well as the
general health of the patients they care. This
should extend beyond the radiation safety
procedures normally adopted within the dental
office to a more generalized consideration of the
environmental impact of the potentially
hazardous waste products resulted from these
procedures. The preferred solution is to shift to
digital x-ray systems, which replace the filmbased technology with computer-based devices
that use electronic or storage phosphor receptors
to record the radiographic image in digital
format. This eliminates the wastes associated
with conventional film processing, alongwith
many other advantages, such as lower time
consumption and image manipulation. So, it is
the responsibility of the dentists to save the
environment by proper waste disposal while
using conventional imaging and shift to digital
imaging as early as possible.
References
1. Silva MAS., Santos-Neto OS., Amorim JM. & Bauer
J. (2007), Evaluation of radiographic waste management
in dental offices and radiology clinics of So Lus (MA).
RSBO; 9: 260-5.
2. Hiltz M. (2007), The Environmental Impact of Dentistry.
JCDA; 73: 59-62.
3. Sushma R., Naganandini S. & Nagabhushana D.
(2012), Issues Impacting Dental Hospital Waste. Indian
J Dent Adv; 4: 814-21.
Volume 4 Issue 3 July / September 2014
4. Tsuji LJS., Wainman BC., Jayasinghe RK., Spronsen

EV. & Nieboer E. (2005), Foil Backing Used in Intraoral
Radiographic Dental Film: A Source of Environmental
Lead. J Can Dent Assoc; 71: 358.
5. Needleman H. (2004), Lead Poisoning. Annu. Rev.
Med; 55: 20922.
6. Thacker SB., Hoffman DA., Smith J., Steinberg K. &
Zack M. (1992), Effect of low level body burdens of lead
on the mental development of children: limitations of
meta-analysis in a review of longitudinal data. Arch
Environ Health; 47: 33646.
7. Swanson RL., Roethel FJ. & Bauer H. (1999), Reuse
of lead from dental X-rays. N Y State Dent J; 65: 346.
8. Muhamedagic B., Muhamedagic L. & Masic I. (2009),
Dental Office Waste Public Health and Ecological Risk.
Mater Sociomed;21: 358.
9. Khunprasert P., Grisdanurak N., Thaveesri J.,
International Journal of Medical Dentistry
Danutra V. & Puttitavorn W. (2008), Radiographic

lm waste management in Thailand and cleaner
technology for silver leaching. Journal of Cleaner
Production; 16: 28-36.
10. No authors listed. (2003), Managing silver and lead
waste in dental offices (ADA council on scientific affairs).
J Am Dent Assoc; 134: 1095-6.
11. Grigoletto JC, Segura-Munoz SI, Barbosa-Jr F,
Sanches SM & Takayanagui AM. (2011) Silver
discharged in effluents from image-processing
services: a risk to human and environmental health.
Biological Trace Element Research; 144: 316-26.
12) Anderson K. (1999) Creating an environmentally
friendly dental practice. CDS Rev: 12-8.
13) Pharoah M, White SC, eds. 2009. Oral radiology:
principles and interpretation, 6th edn: Mosby; St.
Louis, Missouri.

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Odontology

MANAGEMENT OF DENTAL RADIOGRAPHIC WASTE: A REVIEW

If discharged into a sewer system, hazardous

MANAGEMENT OF DENTAL RADIOGRAPHIC WASTE: A REVIEW

anaerobic acid subphase of the degradation

3. X-RAY FILM PROCESSING WASTE

equipment cleaner. Each of these chemical

Jyothirmai KONERU, Neha MAHAJAN, Mallika MAHALAKSHMI

in waste water and, in some cases, even mandate

disposal can be generally accomplished by

7. X- RAY SYSTEM CLEANERS

MANAGEMENT OF DENTAL RADIOGRAPHIC WASTE: A REVIEW

4. Tsuji LJS., Wainman BC., Jayasinghe RK., Spronsen

International Journal of Medical Dentistry

Danutra V. & Puttitavorn W. (2008), Radiographic

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