Hydroxyapatite and calcium phosphates from marine sources: Extraction and characterization

Abstract

Hydroxyapatite (HAp), Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, is a chemical compound widely employed as a biomaterial, more specifically as a bone substitute (Dorozhkin, 2010). HAp is the main component of human and animal bones; it generally constitutes between 60 and 70 wt% of the bone, while the remaining part is collagen. The percentage of HAp in the bone can vary, if different animal species are considered; parameters such as the age of the animal can also affect this.