In-vitro crystallization of calcium carbonate in the presence of biological additives -: Comparison of the ammonium carbonate method with double-diffusion techniques

The biomineralization process was simulated in vitro by the precipitation of calcium carbonate in the presence of two biological additives: bovine serum albumin (BSA) and soluble matrix from the shell of the freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata. The crystallization was carried out with the classical ammonium carbonate diffusion method and with a double diffusion setup under pH-controlled conditions. The inhibiting effects of BSA and soluble shell matrix could only be observed in the double diffusion setup, but not with the ammonium carbonate method.