THE MECHANISM OF CO2- RADICAL FORMATION IN BIOLOGICAL AND SYNTHETIC APATITES

Biological apatites (tooth enamel, bone) and their synthetic analogues were exposed to gamma rays, UV light, or thermal treatment and studied by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The thermal generation of CO2- radicals in synthetic apatite was observed for the first time. It was shown that the experimental EPR spectra of all of the above-mentioned materials are caused by the contribution of two types of CO2- radicals: axial and orthorhombic. The ratio of their concentrations depends on the characteristic energy of the external influence (i.e., the energy of quantum for radiation or kT for thermal treatment) and also on the quality of the initial material (defectiveness). Based on the analysis of EPR spectra recorded immediately after gamma-irradiation, the authors conclude that the main short-lived radical in bioapatites is CO33-. The unified mechanism of CO2- radical formation in hydroxyapatites at different external influences is proposed; the main stages of transformation are CO32- + e -> CO33- -> CO2-, where the electron (e) originates from the ionization of impurities by radiation/temperature. Health Phys. 98(2):322-326; 2010