The crystallization of hydroxyapatite in the presence of lysine

Lysine, which is an amino acid with a basic side group, is present in biological fluids and its role in the biological calcification process was investigated. It was found to inhibit the crystal growth rate of hydroxyapatite (HAP), in solutions supersaturated only with respect to this calcium phosphate salt and this rate reduction was attributed to adsorption and further blocking of the active growth sites on the crystal surface. The crystallization kinetics were interpreted in terms of the Langmuir adsorption model. The apparent order of the crystallization reaction was found to be n = 2, suggesting a surface diffusion controlled spiral growth mechanism. Kinetic results of HAP crystallization were obtained using the constant composition method where the concentration of the reactants is kept constant during the course of the crystal growth experiment. (C) 2000 Academic Press.