The effect of glucose on the crystallization of hydroxyapatite in aqueous solutions

Abstract

The effect of glucose in supersaturated solutions of calcium phosphate was investigated under plethostatic conditions. The rates of crystal growth measured in the presence of glucose at concentrations as low as 10^–6 mol dm^–3 were drastically reduced. At high glucose concentrations up to 10^–3 mol dm^–3, although the rates were reduced, the crystallization did not stop. Kinetics analysis suggested Langmuir-type adsorption of glucose on the HAP surface with a relatively high affinity for the substrate in the concentration range investigated. The electrophoretic mobility measurements showed that in the presence of glucose, although the isoelectric point did not change, the charge on the glucose covered HAP particles was shifted to more negative values as compared to bare HAP, and was practically constant for pH values in the range 6.50–9.50.