Formation of apatitic calcium phosphates in a Na-K-phosphate solution of pH 7.4

Calcium orthophosphate-based bone cements (CPCs): Applications, antibiotic release and alternatives to antibiotics

Calcium orthophosphate bone cements (CPCs) are widely used in orthopedic surgery. Implants are highly susceptible to infection and often lead to the formation of microbial biofilms. Antibiotics are often incorporated into bone cement to prevent infection. The increase in the number of microorganisms acquiring or developing resistance to antibiotics, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), is a major concern. Bacteriocins (antimicrobial peptides) offer an alternative to antibiotics. Their mode of activity involves permanent destabilization of the plasma membrane of target cells. A number of broad-spectrum bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria and Bacillus spp. have recently been reported. In this REVIEW the major characteristics of calcium phosphate bone cements, prosthetic joint-associated infections, and treatment of these infections is discussed. The role of antimicrobial agents in CPCs is discussed and the possibility of incorporating bacteriocins in prosthetic devices is investigated.

Effect of pH Values on Conversion of Calcite Crystals into Calcium Phosphate Phases in Buffer Solutions

Calcium phosphate phases with laminar-plate structure were converted from calcite powders after soaking in phosphate buffer solutions of pH’s 6.0-8.0 at 37 °C for 9 days. The effect of pH values on the conversion of calcite crystals was investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. If the pH value of a buffer solution is kept at 6.0, calcite powders are converted mainly to dicalcium phosphate dehydrate (DCPD) or octacalcium phosphate (OCP). If the pH value is kept at 6.4 or 7.0, calcite powders are converted mainly to OCP. Hydroxyapatite (HAP) with poorly crystalline can be obtained from calcite powders both by treatment of a basic buffer solution, and by treatment of an acid buffer solution without regulating its pH value during the reaction. The conversion mechanism of calcite crystals is a dissolution-precipitation reaction.