Composition of apatites in human urinary calculi

Calcium-deficient carbonate apatites in urinary calculi from 17 patients have been studied. Magnesium ions in each case were detected as a component of apatite. In most of the cases, CO23- ions were included in the apatitic lattice. Using a calcination procedure, we have determined the most probable average value for the CO23- content, degree of deficiency, x, and the Mg/Ca ratio in each sample.