Structural evaluation of human and sheep bone and comparison with synthetic hydroxyapatite by FT-Raman spectroscopy

The composition of whole human and sheep cortical bone tissue, and of a synthetic hydroxyapatite (P120), were compared using Fourier transform Raman (FT-Raman) spectroscopy. Deproteination procedures to remove the bulk of the collagen present in bone tissue allowed isolation of the mineral phase. A comparison of the spectra obtained from both whole and deproteinated bone with those of synthetic hydroxyapatite showed direct correlation only in the region of 952 cm-1 (symmetric P-O mode). In contrast, human and sheep bone were very closely matched in both, the organic and inorganic structures. The results demonstrate that deproteination of bone is not a necessary precursor to obtain spectral information.