Synthesis of hydroxyapatite from Faunus ater shell biowaste

Abstract

The current research involved the synthesis of hydroxyapatite powders using Faunus ater shell (FaS), which is a snail found in brackish water, as a source of calcium. Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is produced through the hydrothermal synthesis of FaS, employing calcination temperatures at 900 °C (HAp900) and 1000 °C (HAp1000). The samples underwent analysis through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine the phases present. Additionally, quantitative chemical analysis of the synthesized and heat-treated powders was conducted using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. XRD analysis determined that HAp900 and HAp1000 exhibited amorphous structures, with the additional presence of Tetracalcium Phosphate (TTCP) phase detected in HAp 900. Furthermore, XRF analysis was conducted on both samples, revealing molar ratios of Ca/P as 2.56 and 1.67 for HAp900 and HAp1000 respectively. The FTIR spectrum revealed that the synthesized HAp contains phosphate, carbonate, and hydroxyl groups.