SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF Mg, Cu-HAp USING CALCIUM FROM LOKAN SHELL (Geloina expansa) AND ITS ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY

Abstract

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is the primary inorganic constituent found in bones and teeth. It possesses biocompatibility and bioactivity within the human body, while its mechanical qualities are somewhat inferior. Magnesium is a viable alternative to calcium in the composition of bone minerals. Copper is both an antibacterial agent and a vital metal within our bodies. This study aims to produce Mg, and Cu-HAp by employing the sol-gel process in situ utilising Lokan shell (Geloina. Expansa) as the source material. Additionally, the antibacterial properties of Mg and Cu-HAp will be evaluated. The lokan shell is utilized as a calcium source, containing 94.626% calcium oxide (CaO), for synthesizing hydroxyapatite (HAp) with a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of 1.67. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed a distinct pattern at a specific angle of 2θ, following the ICDD (No.96-101-1243) standard. The FT-IR spectra suggest that the bending vibration of the PO4 3- functional group occurs at a wave number of 610 cm-1, whereas the asymmetrical stretching occurs at wave numbers between 1010-1036 cm-1. These observations suggest the presence of HAp content. The antibacterial test results demonstrated that Mg, Cu-HAp3, and Mg, Cu-HAp4 exhibited good antibacterial activity, as evidenced by inhibition zone diameters of 0.9 mm for Escherichia coli and 0.8 mm for Staphylococcus aureus. These findings indicate that Mg and Cu-HAp effectively possess antibacterial properties.