Study of physico-chemical properties and in vitro antimicrobial activity of hydroxyapatites obtained from bone calcination

Hydroxyapatite was obtained by bone calcinations. To study the calcination process, bovine and porcine bones were first autoclaved to remove fat and other non-bone tissues. They were then heated in an alumina pan in an oxidizing atmosphere of air, where simultaneous thermal analysis curves were recorded. To prepare the hydroxyapatites, bone samples were calcined at 850 °C and 1000 °C using a muffle furnace for 1 h. The obtained materials were powdered using mortar and pestle, and sifted in a sieve (60 mesh) without any additional purification or chemical treatment. The materials obtained were characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The antimicrobial properties of these materials were determined through direct contact tests against Staphylococcus aureus. The natural hydroxyapatites obtained by bone calcination inhibited S. aureus growth, with the material obtained by calcination of bovine bones at 1000 °C, showing the best antimicrobial activity. These results indicated that bone wastes can be used to obtain hydroxyapatites with antimicrobial activity.