The influence of immersion in buffer systems simulating body fluids on properties and morphology of octacalcium phosphate granules

Abstract

Octacalcium phosphate is the precursor of biological apatite, that is why it is of special interest in bone regeneration due to it’s biocompatibility and biodegradability. This study was performed to examine the in vitro stability of octacalcium phosphate granules in physiological solutions. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) data were obtained before and after granules immersion. The variation of Ca2+ and HPO4 2- concentration in the soaking solutions suggests that the material transformation occurs through octacalcium phosphate dissolution followed by hydroxyapatite precipitation.