Apatite

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Earth and Environmental Science

Terms modified by Apatite

  • apatite crystal
  • apatite fission track analysis
  • apatite layer
  • apatite nanocrystal

  • Selected Abstracts


    EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT SAMPLE PREPARATION METHODS ON STABLE CARBON AND OXYGEN ISOTOPE VALUES OF BONE APATITE: A COMPARISON OF TWO TREATMENT PROTOCOLS*

    ARCHAEOMETRY, Issue 1 2010
    C. J. YODER
    Researchers have long debated the appropriateness of stable isotope analysis of bone apatite to reconstruct the diets of ancient animals. The debate has centred, in part, on diagenesis of bone mineral from interaction with the burial environment. A number of acetic acid treatments are used to remove diagenetic carbonates from samples; however, less is known on how different protocols alter stable isotope values. We compare two common acetic acid solution treatments (0.1 M versus 1.0 M-buffered) to examine the effects on carbon and oxygen isotope values and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra in human bone from different burial contexts. Results indicate that both treatments have a similar effect on isotope values and FTIR spectra in bone apatite. [source]


    In Vitro Formation of Nanocrystalline Carbonate Apatite , A Structural and Morphological Analogue of Atherosclerotic Plaques

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 26 2007
    Lars-Fride Olsson
    Abstract The in vitro formation of carbonate apatite in solutions with ion concentrations comparable to those in human serum was studied. The composition and morphology of the resulting apatite precipitate displayed a hierarchical assembly of elongated plate-shaped nanocrystals of carbonate apatite analogous to previously characterized bioapatites formed in vivo. The main conclusion is that so-called bioapatites may form in vitro and that precipitation inhibitors most likely are essential for the prevention of spontaneous calcification at normal human serum ion concentrations. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007) [source]


    Deposition of Carbonated Hydroxyapatite (CO3HAp) on Poly(Methylmethacrylate) Surfaces by Decomposition of Calcium,EDTA Chelate

    JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 10 2008
    Yusuf Yusufoglu
    Inspired from the nature, the development of organic,inorganic composites between polymers and hydroxyapatite (HAp) has been investigated extensively. In this study, bone-like apatite (carbonated hydroxyapatite, CO3HAp) was precipitated on poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) films by the oxidative decomposition of Ca,EDTA (calcium,ethylenediamine tetraacetate) chelates. Corona-treated PMMA films were soaked in a Ca,EDTA,PO4,H2O2 solution and aged at 63°C and pH,9 for times ranging from 1 to 24 h. Apatite formed on PMMA films was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Scanning electron microscope, energy-dipersive X-ray spectroscopy, and carbon analysis. The apatite was found to be CO3HAp with Ca/P atomic ratio ranging between 1.3 and 1.9. Elemental analyses indicated that the carbonate content of the apatite phase was around 6.5 wt% after 24 h of aging time. Lattice parameters were estimated using a Rietveld profile-analysis and found to be a=0.9438 nm and c=0.6901 nm. Furthermore, FTIR spectra indicated that the apatite deposited on PMMA was B-type CO3HAp, in which carbonate ions occupy the phosphate sites. In the first 3 h of aging, isolated rod-like HAp particles were observed. With time, the needle-like crystallites radiate from a nucleus to form double-spherulite shape particles. The crystallites grew into a continuous layer with a thickness of ,15 ,m after 24-h aging. The adhesive strength between the PMMA substrate and the apatite layer was determined to be around 1.7 MPa. [source]


    Characterization and Mechanical Performance of the Mg-Stabilized ,-Ca3(PO4)2 Prepared from Mg-Substituted Ca-Deficient Apatite

    JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 9 2006
    Sanjeevi Kannan
    The preparation of Mg-stabilized ,-tricalcium phosphate (,-TCP) was carried out by an aqueous precipitation method and the characterization of the powders was performed by powder X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectra, Raman spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The transformation of calcium-deficient apatite into ,-TCP has occurred in the range of 700°,800°C. The calculated values for lattice parameters confirm the stabilization role played by Mg. The thermal stability of the Mg-stabilized ,-TCP powders was evident until 1400°C, thus broadening the sintering temperature range without transformation into the undesirable ,-TCP. Accordingly, the mechanical properties of the Mg-stabilized ,-TCP were improved in comparison with those of pure ,-TCP. [source]


    Improvement in Biocompatibility of Fluoridated Apatite with Addition of Resorbable Glass

    JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 5 2006
    Eun-Jung Lee
    The biocompatibility of fluoridated apatite (FHA) was significantly improved by the addition of a resorbable phosphate-based glass. With the addition of small amounts of the glass (up to 5%) to the FHA, a completely densified body was obtained after sintering at 1250°C. The resultant crystalline phase was composed of tricalcium phosphate (TCP) and FHA. The addition of the glass to the FHA significantly improved the viability and functional activity of osteoblastic cells, while these were only slightly improved when the glass was added to pure hydroxyapatite, demonstrating that the fluoridation and glass addition had a synergistic stimulatory effect. This finding suggests that the glass-added FHA bioceramic would be highly useful as a hard tissue reconstructive material. [source]


    Petrology of Martian meteorite Northwest Africa 998

    METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE, Issue 5 2008
    Allan H. TREIMAN
    This 456-gram, partially fusion-crusted meteorite consists of (by volume) ,75% augite (core composition Wo39En39Fs22), ,9% olivine (Fo35), ,7% plagioclase (Ab61An35) as anhedra among augite and olivine, ,3.5% low-calcium pyroxenes (pigeonite and orthopyroxene) replacing or forming overgrowths on olivine and augite, ,1% titanomagnetite, and other phases including potassium feldspar, apatite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, ilmenite, and fine-grained mesostasis material. Minor secondary alteration materials include "iddingsite" associated with olivine (probably Martian), calcite crack fillings, and iron oxide/hydroxide staining (both probably terrestrial). Shock effects are limited to minor cataclasis and twinning in augite. In comparison to other nakhlites, NWA 998 contains more low-calcium pyroxenes and its plagioclase crystals are blockier. The large size of the intercumulus feldspars and the chemical homogeneity of the olivine imply relatively slow cooling and chemical equilibration in the late- and post-igneous history of this specimen, and mineral thermometers give subsolidus temperatures near 730 °C. Oxidation state was near that of the QFM buffer, from about QFM-2 in earliest crystallization to near QFM in late crystallization, and to about QFM + 1.5 in some magmatic inclusions. The replacement or overgrowth of olivine by pigeonite and orthopyroxene (with or without titanomagnetite), and the marginal replacement of augite by pigeonite, are interpreted to result from late-stage reactions with residual melts (consistent with experimental phase equilibrium relationships). Apatite is concentrated in planar zones separating apatite-free domains, which suggests that residual magma (rich in P and REE) was concentrated in planar (fracture?) zones and possibly migrated through them. Loss of late magma through these zones is consistent with the low bulk REE content of NWA 998 compared with the calculated REE content of its parent magma. [source]


    Origin of the Blue Ridge escarpment along the passive margin of Eastern North America

    BASIN RESEARCH, Issue 1 2004
    James A. Spotila
    The Blue Ridge escarpment is a rugged landform situated within the ancient Appalachian orogen. While similar in some respects to the great escarpments along other passive margins, which have evolved by erosion following rifting, its youthful topographic expression has inspired proposals of Cenozoic tectonic rejuvenation in eastern North America. To better understand the post-orogenic and post-rift geomorphic evolution of passive margins, we have examined the origin of this landform using low-temperature thermochronometry and manipulation of topographic indices. Apatite (U,Th)/He and fission-track analyses along transects across the escarpment reveal a younging trend towards the coast. This pattern is consistent with other great escarpments and fits with an interpretation of having evolved by prolonged erosion, without the requirement of tectonic rejuvenation. Measured ages are also comparable specifically to those measured along other great escarpments that are as much as 100 Myr younger. This suggests that erosional mechanisms that maintain rugged escarpments in the early post-rift stages may remain active on ancient passive margins for prolonged periods. The precise erosional evolution of the escarpment is less clear, however, and several end-member models can explain the data. Our preferred model, which fits with all data, involves a significant degree of erosional escarpment retreat in the Cenozoic. Although this suggests that early onset of topographic stability is not required of passive margin evolution, more data are required to better constrain the details of the escarpment's development. [source]


    Transesterifications Catalyzed by Solid, Reusable Apatite,Zinc Chloride Catalysts.

    CHEMINFORM, Issue 7 2007
    Abderrahim Solhy
    Abstract ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF. [source]


    Crystal Structure and Properties of Strontium Phosphate Apatite with Oxocuprate Ions in Hexagonal Channels.

    CHEMINFORM, Issue 20 2003
    Pavel E. Kazin
    Abstract For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text. [source]


    Medical Potentialities of Biomimetic Apatites through Adsorption, Ionic Substitution, and Mineral/Organic Associations: Three Illustrative Examples,

    ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 7 2010
    Ahmed Al-Kattan
    Biomimetic calcium phosphate apatites are particularly adapted to bio-medical applications due to their biocompatibility and high surface reactivity. In this contribution we report three selected examples dealing with mineral/organic interactions devoted to convey new functionalities to apatite materials, either in the form of dry bioceramics or of aqueous colloids. We first studied the adsorption of risedronate (bisphosphonate) molecules, which present potential therapeutic properties for the treatment of osteoporosis. We then addressed the preparation of luminescent Eu-doped apatites for exploring apatite/collagen interfaces through the FRET technique, in view of preparing "advanced" biocomposites exhibiting close spatial interaction between apatite crystals and collagen fibers. Finally, we showed the possibility to obtain nanometer-scaled apatite-based colloids, with particle size tailorable in the range 30,100,nm by controlling the agglomeration state of apatite nanocrystals by way of surface functionalization with a phospholipid moiety. This paper is aimed at illustrating some of the numerous potentialities of calcium phosphate apatites in the bio-medical field, allowing one to foresee perspectives lying well beyond bone-related applications. [source]


    Electrodynamic Disaggregation: Does it Affect Apatite Fission-Track and (U-Th)/He Analyses?

    GEOSTANDARDS & GEOANALYTICAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2010
    Jörg Giese
    désagrégation électrodynamique; analyse des traces de fission sur apatite; recuit; analyse (U-Th)/He; diffusion de l'He Apatite fission-track and (U-Th)/He analyses require the liberation of intact idiomorphic apatite grains from rock samples. While routinely being carried out by mechanical methods, electrodynamic disaggregation (ED) offers an alternative approach. The high-voltage discharges produced during the ED process create localised temperature peaks (10000 K) along a narrow plasma channel. In apatite, such high temperatures could potentially reduce the length of fission tracks, which start to anneal at temperatures > 60 °C, and could also enhance He diffusion, which becomes significant at 30,40 °C over geological time scales. A comparison of fission-track analyses and (U-Th)/He ages of apatites prepared both by mechanical (jaw crusher, disk mill) and ED processing provides a way of determining whether heating during the latter method has any significant effect. Apatites from three samples of different geological settings (an orthogneiss from Madagascar, the Fish Canyon Tuff, and a muscovite-gneiss from Greece) yielded statistically identical track length distributions compared to samples prepared mechanically. Additionally, (U-Th)/He ages of apatites from a leucogranite from Morocco prepared by both methods were indistinguishable. These first results indicated that during electrodynamic disaggregation apatite crystals were not heated enough to partially anneal the fission tracks or induce significant diffusive loss of He. Les analyses des traces de fission et des rapports isotopiques (U-Th)/He sur apatite nécessitent la séparation de grains intacts et automorphes d'apatite à partir des échantillons de roche. La désagrégation électrodynamique (DE) offre une approche alternative aux méthodes mécaniques utilisées actuellement en routine. Les décharges de haute tension produite pendant le processus de DE entrainent la formation de pics de température (10000 K) localisés le long d'un étroit canal de plasma. Dans l'apatite, de telles températures peuvent potentiellement réduire la longueur des traces de fission, qui commencent à recuire à des températures > 60 °C, et peuvent aussi favoriser la diffusion de l'Hélium, qui devient significative à des températures de 30,40 °C sur des échelles de temps géologiques. Une comparaison des résultats obtenus à partir des analyses des traces de fission et des âges (U-Th)/He sur des apatites séparées par des moyens mécaniques (concasseur à mâchoires, broyeur à disque) et sur d'autres séparées par la méthode de désagrégation électrodynamique offre un moyen de déterminer si le chauffage lié,à la seconde méthode a un effet significatif. Les apatites séparées par la méthode DE à partir de trois échantillons provenant de différents contextes géologiques (un orthogneiss de Madagascar, le tuf de Fish Canyon et un gneiss à muscovite de Grèce) fournissent des distributions de longueurs de trace de fission statistiquement identiques par rapport à des échantillons préparés mécaniquement. En outre, des âges (U-Th)/He obtenus à partir d'apatites provenant d'un leucogranite du Maroc et préparées par les deux méthodes (DE et mécaniques) sont indiscernables. Ces premiers résultats indiquent que, pendant la désagrégation électrodynamique, les cristaux d'apatite n'ont pas été suffisamment chauffés pour soit recuire partiellement les traces de fission soit provoquer une perte significative par diffusion de l'He. [source]


    Molecular Dynamics Study of the Thermodynamic Properties of Calcium Apatites.

    CHEMINFORM, Issue 28 2006
    Part 2.
    Abstract ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF. [source]


    Lattice Energies of Apatites and the Estimation of ,Hf°(PO43- , g).

    CHEMINFORM, Issue 22 2004
    Natalie J. Flora
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]


    Long-term landscape evolution: linking tectonics and surface processes

    EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 3 2007
    Paul Bishop
    Abstract Research in landscape evolution over millions to tens of millions of years slowed considerably in the mid-20th century, when Davisian and other approaches to geomorphology were replaced by functional, morphometric and ultimately process-based approaches. Hack's scheme of dynamic equilibrium in landscape evolution was perhaps the major theoretical contribution to long-term landscape evolution between the 1950s and about 1990, but it essentially ,looked back' to Davis for its springboard to a viewpoint contrary to that of Davis, as did less widely known schemes, such as Crickmay's hypothesis of unequal activity. Since about 1990, the field of long-term landscape evolution has blossomed again, stimulated by the plate tectonics revolution and its re-forging of the link between tectonics and topography, and by the development of numerical models that explore the links between tectonic processes and surface processes. This numerical modelling of landscape evolution has been built around formulation of bedrock river processes and slope processes, and has mostly focused on high-elevation passive continental margins and convergent zones; these models now routinely include flexural and denudational isostasy. Major breakthroughs in analytical and geochronological techniques have been of profound relevance to all of the above. Low-temperature thermochronology, and in particular apatite fission track analysis and (U,Th)/He analysis in apatite, have enabled rates of rock uplift and denudational exhumation from relatively shallow crustal depths (up to about 4 km) to be determined directly from, in effect, rock hand specimens. In a few situations, (U,Th)/He analysis has been used to determine the antiquity of major, long-wavelength topography. Cosmogenic isotope analysis has enabled the determination of the ,ages' of bedrock and sedimentary surfaces, and/or the rates of denudation of these surfaces. These latter advances represent in some ways a ,holy grail' in geomorphology in that they enable determination of ,dates and rates' of geomorphological processes directly from rock surfaces. The increasing availability of analytical techniques such as cosmogenic isotope analysis should mean that much larger data sets become possible and lead to more sophisticated analyses, such as probability density functions (PDFs) of cosmogenic ages and even of cosmogenic isotope concentrations (CICs). PDFs of isotope concentrations must be a function of catchment area geomorphology (including tectonics) and it is at least theoretically possible to infer aspects of source area geomorphology and geomorphological processes from PDFs of CICs in sediments (,detrital CICs'). Thus it may be possible to use PDFs of detrital CICs in basin sediments as a tool to infer aspects of the sediments' source area geomorphology and tectonics, complementing the standard sedimentological textural and compositional approaches to such issues. One of the most stimulating of recent conceptual advances has followed the considerations of the relationships between tectonics, climate and surface processes and especially the recognition of the importance of denudational isostasy in driving rock uplift (i.e. in driving tectonics and crustal processes). Attention has been focused very directly on surface processes and on the ways in which they may ,drive' rock uplift and thus even influence sub-surface crustal conditions, such as pressure and temperature. Consequently, the broader geoscience communities are looking to geomorphologists to provide more detailed information on rates and processes of bedrock channel incision, as well as on catchment responses to such bedrock channel processes. More sophisticated numerical models of processes in bedrock channels and on their flanking hillslopes are required. In current numerical models of long-term evolution of hillslopes and interfluves, for example, the simple dependency on slope of both the fluvial and hillslope components of these models means that a Davisian-type of landscape evolution characterized by slope lowering is inevitably ,confirmed' by the models. In numerical modelling, the next advances will require better parameterized algorithms for hillslope processes, and more sophisticated formulations of bedrock channel incision processes, incorporating, for example, the effects of sediment shielding of the bed. Such increasing sophistication must be matched by careful assessment and testing of model outputs using pre-established criteria and tests. Confirmation by these more sophisticated Davisian-type numerical models of slope lowering under conditions of tectonic stability (no active rock uplift), and of constant slope angle and steady-state landscape under conditions of ongoing rock uplift, will indicate that the Davis and Hack models are not mutually exclusive. A Hack-type model (or a variant of it, incorporating slope adjustment to rock strength rather than to regolith strength) will apply to active settings where there is sufficient stream power and/or sediment flux for channels to incise at the rate of rock uplift. Post-orogenic settings of decreased (or zero) active rock uplift would be characterized by a Davisian scheme of declining slope angles and non-steady-state (or transient) landscapes. Such post-orogenic landscapes deserve much more attention than they have received of late, not least because the intriguing questions they pose about the preservation of ancient landscapes were hinted at in passing in the 1960s and have recently re-surfaced. As we begin to ask again some of the grand questions that lay at the heart of geomorphology in its earliest days, large-scale geomorphology is on the threshold of another ,golden' era to match that of the first half of the 20th century, when cyclical approaches underpinned virtually all geomorphological work. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    In Vitro Formation of Nanocrystalline Carbonate Apatite , A Structural and Morphological Analogue of Atherosclerotic Plaques

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 26 2007
    Lars-Fride Olsson
    Abstract The in vitro formation of carbonate apatite in solutions with ion concentrations comparable to those in human serum was studied. The composition and morphology of the resulting apatite precipitate displayed a hierarchical assembly of elongated plate-shaped nanocrystals of carbonate apatite analogous to previously characterized bioapatites formed in vivo. The main conclusion is that so-called bioapatites may form in vitro and that precipitation inhibitors most likely are essential for the prevention of spontaneous calcification at normal human serum ion concentrations. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007) [source]


    Medical Potentialities of Biomimetic Apatites through Adsorption, Ionic Substitution, and Mineral/Organic Associations: Three Illustrative Examples,

    ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 7 2010
    Ahmed Al-Kattan
    Biomimetic calcium phosphate apatites are particularly adapted to bio-medical applications due to their biocompatibility and high surface reactivity. In this contribution we report three selected examples dealing with mineral/organic interactions devoted to convey new functionalities to apatite materials, either in the form of dry bioceramics or of aqueous colloids. We first studied the adsorption of risedronate (bisphosphonate) molecules, which present potential therapeutic properties for the treatment of osteoporosis. We then addressed the preparation of luminescent Eu-doped apatites for exploring apatite/collagen interfaces through the FRET technique, in view of preparing "advanced" biocomposites exhibiting close spatial interaction between apatite crystals and collagen fibers. Finally, we showed the possibility to obtain nanometer-scaled apatite-based colloids, with particle size tailorable in the range 30,100,nm by controlling the agglomeration state of apatite nanocrystals by way of surface functionalization with a phospholipid moiety. This paper is aimed at illustrating some of the numerous potentialities of calcium phosphate apatites in the bio-medical field, allowing one to foresee perspectives lying well beyond bone-related applications. [source]


    Apatite Deposition on NaOH-Treated PEEK and UHMWPE Films for Sclera Materials in Artificial Cornea Implants,

    ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 7 2010
    Monica Pino
    Abstract Cornea implants consist of a clear optic portion with a surrounding ring known as the skirt, which needs to integrate with the sclera. However, currently used skirt materials lead to poor tissue integration. Improvements in this respect may be achieved by using a bioactive skirt material that adapts to the metabolic activity of the cornea. Polyether etherketone (PEEK) and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) might provide interesting alternatives, if they can be rendered bioactive. We, therefore, investigated the potential of surface-modifying PEEK and UHMWPE films through the use of a two-step treatment. This process involved a suitable chemical surface modification (via immersion in NaOH), with subsequent formation of apatite layers on the polymers' surfaces through exposure to supersaturated simulated body fluid (1.5 SBF). In the present work the effect of 5 and 10,M NaOH on formation of the apatite layer has been investigated with regard to wettability and topography features. In addition, the chemical stability of the apatite layer formed has been analyzed. Our data demonstrate that with an increase in NaOH concentration the wettability of the polymer increased, whilst some changes to the polymer film topography (increase/decrease in roughness) were observed. Most beneficially, the apatite layer that subsequently was grown on pre-treated PEEK and UHMWPE films through immersion in 1.5 SBF contained phosphate and carbonate ions, in similar ratios to those found in the apatite in dentine, thus, promising good in vivo bioactivity of these polymer films,a necessity if they are to be integrated into artificial cornea. [source]


    Control of apatite crystal growth by the co-operative effect of a recombinant porcine amelogenin and fluoride

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 2006
    Mayumi Iijima
    Recently, we used native amelogenins extracted from developing pig enamel to examine the combined effect of fluoride and amelogenins on the growth of octacalcium phosphate (OCP) and apatite crystals. The purpose of the present study was to investigate this combined effect using a highly purified recombinant amelogenin. We applied porcine amelogenin (rP172) and fluoride in a dual-membrane system as a model for tooth enamel formation. The combination of rP172 and fluoride in this system resulted in the formation of rod-like apatite crystals. On the other hand, without fluoride, rod-like OCP crystals of a comparable size were formed, and rather large hexagonal prisms of mixed crystals of OCP and apatite grew without amelogenins. Thus, highly purified and homogeneous recombinant amelogenin, in co-operation with F, regulated the mineral phase, habit, and size of crystals in the same manner as the extracted heterogeneous porcine amelogenins. We suggest that in both cases the control over the crystal phase and morphology was a direct effect of amelogenin protein serving as a scaffold for apatite mineralization. [source]


    Hydroxyapatite/Bioactive Glass Films Produced by a Sol,Gel Method: In Vitro Behavior

    ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 11 2009
    Nihat C. Köseo
    Abstract Hydroxyapatite (HA) and HA/bioactive glass (49S) films were deposited on Si(100) substrates by a sol,gel dip-coating method. The microstructure and in vitro bioactivity of the films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Polycrystalline HA and amorphous bioactive glass films were obtained after annealing at 600 and 400,°C, respectively. The crystallization temperature of HA was determined to be around 568,°C. The surfaces of the HA films were covered with an apatite layer consists of spherulites formed by nanosized needle-like aggregates after the soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 10 days, while amorphous HA/bioactive glass surface was covered with larger spherical crystallites. Both XPS and EDS results obtained from HA/bioactive glass film, after soaking in SBF, showed increasing P amounts on the surface at the expense of Si. The higher density of the newly formed layer on HA/bioactive glass surface than that of the HA surface after 10 days of soaking was evidence of increased reaction rate and apatite forming ability when bioactive glass layer is present on the HA films. [source]


    Organic phosphorus speciation and pedogenesis: analysis by solution 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 6 2007
    R. W. McDowell
    Summary Changes in phosphorus (P) during soil development are central to the understanding of labile P for plant productivity and soil P management. We used NaOH-EDTA extraction with 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P NMR), sequential P fractionation, and general soil chemical characterization to better our understanding of P dynamics within two chronosequences (Manawatu and Reefton) and one Basalt maturity sequence under original native vegetation. With time, orthophosphate and orthophosphate monoesters tended to increase with organic C to a maximum of about two-thirds of NaOH-EDTA-extractable P in young soils (16 000 years in the Reefton chronosequence), but gradually declined thereafter to about one-third of NaOH-EDTA-extractable P in the oldest soils (130 000 years old). This coincided with a depletion of P from primary minerals (e.g. apatite) and readily available P for plant production. This depletion of inorganic P resulted in a greater reliance on organic P cycling via mineralization, hence the depletion of the normally recalcitrant monoester-P pool. Concomitantly, the build-up of labile P species (diesters and pyrophosphate) and scyllo - over myo -inositol hexakisphosphate occurred as soils developed, and might be attributed to microbial activity, including scavenging for P. This work highlights the importance of organic P cycling during pedogenesis. [source]


    Geochemistry and petrography of basalt grindstones from the Karak Plateau, central Jordan

    GEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 1 2004
    Brandon G. Watts
    Seventeen basalt grindstone fragments from central Jordan's Karak Plateau were studied. Most of these artifacts are vesicular or amygdaloidal with calcite as the dominant mineral filling the voids. The major minerals are olivine (with iddingsite rims), plagioclase, clinopyroxene, magnetite, and apatite. Glass is present in some samples. One basalt fragment is quite different in appearance and composition and may have come from flows closer to the Dead Sea. Grindstone fragment compositions plot in the tephrite-basanite and basalt fields. A plot of the concentrations of niobium, zirconium, and yttrium reveal that the sample compositions plot in the "within-plate alkali basalt" and "within-plate tholeiite" fields. The acquisition of basalts for preparing such implements appears to have been random. Some may have been introduced through trade and migration. Archaeological and environmental studies on the Karak Plateau are urgently needed because Jordan's population growth and economic development are destroying many sites and their environmental contexts. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]


    Sediment provenance of late Quaternary morainic, fluvial and loess-like deposits in the southwestern Verkhoyansk Mountains (eastern Siberia) and implications for regional palaeoenvironmental reconstructions

    GEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Issue 5 2007
    Steffen Popp
    Abstract A provenance analysis of late Quaternary deposits from tributaries of the Aldan and Lena rivers in Central Yakutia (eastern Siberia) was carried out using analysis of heavy minerals and clay mineralogy. Cluster analysis revealed one assemblage that is characterized by relatively high proportions of amphibole, orthopyroxene and garnet as well as pedogenic clay minerals, reflecting a sediment provenance from the wide catchment area of the Lena and Aldan rivers. In contrast, the three other clusters are dominated by stable heavy minerals with varying amounts of clinopyroxene, apatite and garnet, as well as high percentages of illite and chlorite that are indicative of source rocks of the Verkhoyansk Mountains. Glacial moraines reveal the local mountain source signal that is overprinted by the Lena-Aldan signal in the oldest moraines by reworking processes. Alluvial sediments in the Verkhoyansk Foreland show a clear Lena source signal through intervals of the middle and late Pleistocene, related to a stream course closer to the mountains at that time. Loess-like cover sediments are characterized by the dominant Lena provenance with increasing proportions of local mountain sources towards the mountain valleys. Aeolian sands in an alluvial terrace section at the mountain margin covering the time between 30,ka and 10,ka BP reflect temporarily dominant inputs of aeolian materials from the Lena Plains. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    The syn-collisional Danac,obas, biotite leucogranite derived from the crustal thickening in central Anatolia (K,r,kkale), Turkey

    GEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Issue 5 2005
    bel Tatar
    Abstract The Behrekda, composite batholith, which crops out as a huge N,S-trending plutonic body in central Anatolia, Turkey, consists of five mappable granitoid units of Late Cretaceous age. They are (1) the S-type, peraluminous Danac,obas, biotite leucogranite, (2) the I-type, hybrid, metaluminous Konur K-feldspar megacrystic quartz monzonite, (3) the mafic A-type, alkaline Kizdede monzogabbro, (4) the felsic A-type, alkaline Hasandede quartz syenite/monzonite, and (5) the M-type, low-K tholeiitic Yeniköy tonalite. The S-type Danac,obas, biotite leucogranite constitutes the oldest intrusive unit in the mapped area. It has coarse- to medium-crystalline texture and consists of quartz, orthoclase and plagioclase, with variable amounts of biotite and accessory minerals, including apatite, zircon and opaque phases. K-Ar age dating of biotite separates, yields cooling ages of 69.1,±,1.42 and 71.5,±,1.45,Ma for the Danac,obas, biotite leucogranite. Major-element, trace-element, and rare-earth element geochemical data suggest an exclusively peraluminous, S-type, high-K calc-alkaline, upper crustal genesis for the Danac,obas, biotite leucogranite. This petrogenetic interpretation is also supported by oxygen-isotope data from quartz separates, with a mean value of 10.58,±,0.11 , of ,18OVSMOW value. The magma source of the Danac,obas, biotite leucogranite is proposed to have been a syn-collisional leucogranitic melt derived by anatexis of high-grade metasediments of the Central Anatolian Crystalline Complex during peak conditions of regional metamorphism. This metamorphic event was induced by crustal thickening which was a result of Late Cretaceous collision between the Eurasia and Tauride,Anatolide Platform along the ,zmir,Ankara,Erzincan Suture Zone in central Anatolia. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Electrodynamic Disaggregation: Does it Affect Apatite Fission-Track and (U-Th)/He Analyses?

    GEOSTANDARDS & GEOANALYTICAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2010
    Jörg Giese
    désagrégation électrodynamique; analyse des traces de fission sur apatite; recuit; analyse (U-Th)/He; diffusion de l'He Apatite fission-track and (U-Th)/He analyses require the liberation of intact idiomorphic apatite grains from rock samples. While routinely being carried out by mechanical methods, electrodynamic disaggregation (ED) offers an alternative approach. The high-voltage discharges produced during the ED process create localised temperature peaks (10000 K) along a narrow plasma channel. In apatite, such high temperatures could potentially reduce the length of fission tracks, which start to anneal at temperatures > 60 °C, and could also enhance He diffusion, which becomes significant at 30,40 °C over geological time scales. A comparison of fission-track analyses and (U-Th)/He ages of apatites prepared both by mechanical (jaw crusher, disk mill) and ED processing provides a way of determining whether heating during the latter method has any significant effect. Apatites from three samples of different geological settings (an orthogneiss from Madagascar, the Fish Canyon Tuff, and a muscovite-gneiss from Greece) yielded statistically identical track length distributions compared to samples prepared mechanically. Additionally, (U-Th)/He ages of apatites from a leucogranite from Morocco prepared by both methods were indistinguishable. These first results indicated that during electrodynamic disaggregation apatite crystals were not heated enough to partially anneal the fission tracks or induce significant diffusive loss of He. Les analyses des traces de fission et des rapports isotopiques (U-Th)/He sur apatite nécessitent la séparation de grains intacts et automorphes d'apatite à partir des échantillons de roche. La désagrégation électrodynamique (DE) offre une approche alternative aux méthodes mécaniques utilisées actuellement en routine. Les décharges de haute tension produite pendant le processus de DE entrainent la formation de pics de température (10000 K) localisés le long d'un étroit canal de plasma. Dans l'apatite, de telles températures peuvent potentiellement réduire la longueur des traces de fission, qui commencent à recuire à des températures > 60 °C, et peuvent aussi favoriser la diffusion de l'Hélium, qui devient significative à des températures de 30,40 °C sur des échelles de temps géologiques. Une comparaison des résultats obtenus à partir des analyses des traces de fission et des âges (U-Th)/He sur des apatites séparées par des moyens mécaniques (concasseur à mâchoires, broyeur à disque) et sur d'autres séparées par la méthode de désagrégation électrodynamique offre un moyen de déterminer si le chauffage lié,à la seconde méthode a un effet significatif. Les apatites séparées par la méthode DE à partir de trois échantillons provenant de différents contextes géologiques (un orthogneiss de Madagascar, le tuf de Fish Canyon et un gneiss à muscovite de Grèce) fournissent des distributions de longueurs de trace de fission statistiquement identiques par rapport à des échantillons préparés mécaniquement. En outre, des âges (U-Th)/He obtenus à partir d'apatites provenant d'un leucogranite du Maroc et préparées par les deux méthodes (DE et mécaniques) sont indiscernables. Ces premiers résultats indiquent que, pendant la désagrégation électrodynamique, les cristaux d'apatite n'ont pas été suffisamment chauffés pour soit recuire partiellement les traces de fission soit provoquer une perte significative par diffusion de l'He. [source]


    Thermally Responsive Biomineralization on Biodegradable Substrates,

    ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 16 2007
    J. Shi
    Abstract Biomineralization offers an elegant example of how nature can design complex, hierarchical, and structurally/morphologically controllable materials. In this work, the surface of bioactive substrates prepared from poly(L -lactic acid) and reinforced with Bioglass are modified by the graft polymerization of poly(N -isopropylacrylamide), (PNIPAAm) after plasma activation. It is found that such treatment, together with temperature, could trigger the formation of apatite on the biodegradable substrate upon immersion in simulated body fluid above the PNIPAAm lower critical solution temperature (LCST); in contrast, no apatite is formed at room temperature. A control experiment on a material that is not subjected to surface treatment does not show any evidence of mineral deposition at the two analyzed temperatures. This "smart" biomineralization concept is combined with patterning methodologies to control the microstructure of the surface onto which PNIPAAm is grafted. In this case, the apatite is formed at 37,°C in the modified regions. We suggest that this concept could be extended in the biomimetic production of other minerals, where it would be triggered by another kind of stimulus (e.g., pH or ionic strength) in substrates with more complex geometries. [source]


    Apatite-forming ability (bioactivity) of ProRoot MTA

    INTERNATIONAL ENDODONTIC JOURNAL, Issue 10 2010
    M. G. Gandolfi
    Gandolfi MG, Taddei P, Tinti A, Prati C. Apatite-forming ability (bioactivity) of ProRoot MTA. International Endodontic Journal, 43, 917,929, 2010. Abstract Aim, Apatite-forming ability, considered as an index of bioactivity (bond-to-bone ability), was tested on ProRoot MTA cement after immersion in phosphate-containing solution (DPBS). Methodology, Disk samples were prepared and immersed in DPBS for 10 min, 5 h, 1 and 7 days. The cement surface was studied by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, by micro-Raman spectroscopy and by environmental scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray (ESEM-EDX) analyses. The pH of the storage solution was also investigated. Results, Spectroscopic analyses revealed calcium phosphate bands after 5-h immersion in DPBS. After 1 day, an even coating composed of apatite spherulites (0.1,0.8 micron diameter) was observed by ESEM/EDX. After 7 days, its thickness had increased. Apatite nucleation had already occurred after 5-h immersion. At this time, the presence of portlandite (i.e. Ca(OH)2, calcium hydroxide) on the cement surface was also observed; at longer times, this component was released into the medium, which underwent a remarkable pH increase. Conclusions, The study confirms the ability of ProRoot MTA to form a superficial layer of apatite within hours. The excellent bioactivity of ProRoot MTA might provide a significant clinical advantage over the traditional cements used for root-end or root-perforation repair. [source]


    Life history of a mule (c. 160 AD) from the Roman fort Biriciana/Weißenburg (Upper Bavaria) as revealed by serial stable isotope analysis of dental tissues

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
    T. E. Berger
    Abstract The presence of the osseous remains of at least four mules in a garbage dump at the Roman fort of Biriciana near the town of Weißenburg, Upper Bavaria, dating to c. 160 AD, raised the question as to whether mule breeding was already performed to the north of the Alps during the Middle Roman Empire, or whether these animals still had to be imported from the Mediterranean. Serial analyses of the dental enamel and dentine of a lower fourth premolar and the surrounding alveolar bone of a mandible of a mule in terms of stable strontium isotopic ratios of the apatite, and stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratios of the structural carbonate, were carried out to test whether this individual moved long distances during its lifetime. Since isotopic ratios obtained by serial analysis can be correlated with consecutive ontogenetic stages, it can be assumed that this particular individual experienced significant changes in terms of diet and environmental parameters after its eighth year of life. These changes included a period of residence in a region of high altitude, most likely the Alps considering the location of the Roman fort where the mule was found. The isotopic data obtained do not contradict the assumption that this animal was bred and raised in northern Italy, to frequent later in its adult life the Alps and finally perish at Biriciana/Weißenburg. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Intervertebral chondrocalcinosis: an exercise in differential diagnosis in palaeopathology

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
    S. A. Mays
    Abstract Intervertebral chondrocalcinosis (calcification of intervertebral discs and associated structures) may arise from a variety of causes. This work presents a discussion of intervertebral chondrocalcinosis and the identification of its most probable cause in skeletal remains, using as a case study a skeleton of an elderly male from medieval Ipswich, UK. The skeleton is examined using gross observation and radiography, and the intervertebral calcifications are subject to chemical analysis. In addition to intervertebral chondrocalcinosis (which has resulted in ankylosis of lumbo-sacral segments), lesions identified include chondrocalcinosis at some synovial joints, various soft tissue calcified bodies, and severe osteoarthritis particularly at the gleno-humeral joints. Interpretation of the results of the chemical analysis of the calcified deposits is complicated by diagenesis, but they are most consistent with apatite and/or whitlockite. Arriving at a most probable cause of the lesions in this case is difficult, but it is tentatively suggested that ochronosis may be the best diagnostic option. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Isotopic alteration of mammalian tooth enamel

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 1-2 2003
    M. J. Schoeninger
    Abstract Mammalian tooth enamel carbonates from a Pliocene site at Allia Bay in northern Kenya show variable carbon and oxygen isotopic alteration. Sample screening by cathodoluminescence, prior to isotopic analysis, identified areas of extensive chemical alteration and others that were minimally altered. The luminescent patterns were used to guide sampling for the isotope study. Carbon stable isotope ratios of the apatite carbonate from luminescent enamel exteriors differ from the ratios in the enamel interiors and the magnitude of difference varies widely. The interior of the enamel usually retains the carbon isotope ratios expected based on faunal identification, but in a minority of cases, all of the enamel appears to be altered isotopically. Among fauna with an apparent mixed feeding signal, it is particularly difficult to determine whether the ,13C value is due to an actual mixed feeding strategy during life or to alteration toward sediment values. Palaeoecological reconstructions based on the ,13C values of enamel carbonate in browsing fauna would be affected, in many cases, since differences of 1, are significant for such reconstructions. Even so, careful selection of unaltered enamel sections should avoid this problem. Palaeodiet reconstruction would be less affected except in those cases where the alteration approaches 5,. In such cases, a mixed feeding strategy would be the erroneous interpretation of the data. Oxygen isotope ratios in the enamel carbonates show no pattern and the retention of biogenic values is unlikely. For this reason, palaeotemperature reconstructions, based on the ,18O values of the enamel carbonate, would not be possible at this site. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Optimizing the formula of rare earth-bearing materials: A computational chemistry investigation

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUANTUM CHEMISTRY, Issue 3 2007
    Marjorie Bertolus
    Abstract We present a computational investigation into the nature of bonds formed by rare earth elements (REE) in materials. This study focuses on the incorporation of neodymium in minerals called apatites, which are derived from fluorapatite: Ca10(PO4)6F2. These minerals, which allow many substitutions on all three Ca, P, and F sites, are considered as potential host phases for radioactive elements separated from nuclear waste. Nd and trivalent actinides have very similar physical and chemical properties, and Nd is not radioactive and much more easily handled. It is therefore very often used as a surrogate for actinides with oxidation degree three in experimental studies. Several formulas can be considered to substitute Nd3+ to Ca2+ and maintain charge balance of the apatite. Existing experimental and theoretical studies, however, mostly concern the Ca9Nd(PO4)5SiO4F2 formula, where the Nd incorporation is compensated by the replacement of one PO by a SiO group. Moreover, only the cation position has been studied, whereas the silicate position and its influence on stability are unknown. We present a more general investigation of possible charge compensations on the one hand, and of the various resulting configurations on the other. All possible configurations of the two formulas Ca9Nd(PO4)5 SiO4F2 and Ca8NdNa(PO4)6F2 have been considered. Calculations have been performed within the framework of density functional theory (DFT). A computation scheme that permits good accuracy in these systems within reasonable computation times is determined. The results obtained for cohesion energies, geometries, and electronic densities are discussed. As for the formulation, it is shown that the Ca8NdNa(PO4)6F2 formula is less stable than the fluorapatite, while Ca9Nd(PO4)5 SiO4F2 is more stable. For the structures, it is found that Nd substitutes preferably in the second cationic site. Moreover, the most stable structures exhibit the shortest Na,Nd or Nd,Si distances. Local charge balance therefore seems favorable. Then, it is shown that Nd forms covalent bonds both in apatite and in britholite, while Na forms ionic bonds. Finally, a first correlation between the material stability and the covalent character of the bonds formed is established. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007 [source]