Extraction of Hydroxyapatite from Camel Bone for Bone Tissue Engineering Application

Waste tissues such as mammalian bone are a valuable source from which to extract hydroxyapatite. Camel bone-based hydroxyapatite (CBHA) was extracted from the femur of camel bones using a defatting and deproteinization procedure. The extracted CBHA was mechanically, chemically, physically, morphologically and structurally characterized. Fourier-Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectra, Micro-Raman, and X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed successful extraction of hydroxyapatite. The mechanical properties of the CBHA scaffold were measured using a Universal Instron compression tester. Scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of a characteristic interconnected porous architecture with pore diameter ranging from 50-600 µm and micro-computer tomography (Micro-CT) analysis identified a mean porosity of 73.93. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the CBHA was stable up to 1000 °C and lost only 1.435% of its weight. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Energy-dispersive-X-ray (EDX) analysis demonstrated the presence of significant amounts of calcium and phosphorus and trace ions of sodium, magnesium, zinc, lead and strontium. Following 21 days of incubation in simulated body fluid (SBF), the pH fluctuated between 10-10.45 and a gradual increase in weight loss was observed. In conclusion, the extracted CBHA is a promising material for future use in bone tissue regeneration applications.