Effect of Electron Beam on Prepared HAP-Gel Composition

Abstract

Background: Polyvinyl alcohol liquid PVAl was used as the organic carrier for Hydroxylapatite-gel (Hap-gel) composite. PVAl has the ability to form a nano- hydroxylapatite polyvinyl alcohol composite gel which has a wide range of uses in different environmental and medical applications. Prepared Hap-gel is known to have a very similar composition to human bone and is used as a substitute for bones in compound fractures and artificial dentures. Matreia and Methods: In this work prepared HAP- gel was exposed to a high ionizing radiation electron beam (5 kilo Gray) and an aqueous solution containing aluminum ions (Al+). Some investigations were done to illustrate the effect of radiation exposure and aluminum contamination on prepared Hap-gel. Results: Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDx) showed that the electron beam used caused an obvious increase in the calcium ions (Ca++) content of the prepared Hap-gel from 60% to 65.69 % with a prominent decrease in phosphorus ions (P +) content from 40 % to 34.31 % in addition to an increase in the Ca/P ratio from 1.5 to 1.91. Exposure of the pre-irradiated Hap-gel samples to aluminium ions (Al+) resulted in a noticeable decrease in Ca++ content from 65.69 atomic % to 32.14 % atomic % and a further noticeable decrease in P+ content from 34.31 % atomic % to 13 atomic % as well as an increase in the Ca/P ratio from 1.91 to 2.47. The levels for the original prepared Hap-gel were Ca++; 60 atomic % and P+; 40 atomic %. It was deduced that exposure of the Hap-gel to Al+ had a further damaging effect on the pre-irradiated Hap-gel composition in addition to the damaging effect that the electron beam used induced on the samples. Conclusions: it could be concluded that electron beams and Al+ have an injurious effect on human bone tissue taking into consideration the similarity in composition between Hap-gel and bones. Therefore, this study could be beneficial in the field of osteoporosis research and assist the understanding of the effects of radiation such as that of electron beams and some pollutants such as aluminium present in running water on the health of human bone tissue.