Properties of hydroxyapatites prepared from different fish bones: A comparative study

Biological hydroxyapatite (HA) can be obtained from fish bones. However, various fish species will provide HAs with different morphologies, porosities and purities. In this study, the properties of HAs prepared from four different fish bones, including catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus), tilapia (Oreochoromis sp.), seabass (Lates calcarifer), and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), were characterized and compared. By using the same treatment conditions with a calcinating temperature of 700 degrees C for 2 h, HA prepared from seabass (Lates calcarifer) bones showed the most uniform and smallest size of ca. 50-70 nm. The HA powder obtained from tilapia (Oreochoromis sp.) bones presented the highest specific surface area of 32.83 m(2) g(-1.) All HA products had a similar poly-crystalline property and the Ca/P ratio of about 1.80. These findings are particularly useful to consider for further production and applications of HA powders prepared from fish bones.