Hydroxylapatite
- Ca5(PO4)3OH is perhaps the most common. It composes the solid structural portion
of our body's bones. It is frequently added to orange juice and other food products
that are labeled as "fortified with calcium".Apatite is a mineral composed primarily of calcium and phosphorus. It is the most stable and abundant form of phosphorus on Earth. It is found in all types of natural rock formations including igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. There are also great deposits of biologically generated apatite that were deposited over the years.
Strictly speaking there are three types of apatite minerals. However, we will later see that thousands of minerals originate from these three basic types.
Hydroxylapatite
- Ca5(PO4)3OH is perhaps the most common. It composes the solid structural portion
of our body's bones. It is frequently added to orange juice and other food products
that are labeled as "fortified with calcium".
Fluorapatite - Ca5(PO4)3F is also quite familiar to most people. It is harder than hydroxylapatite and is what our teeth are made from. (Note: Brushing your teeth with fluoridated (F) toothpaste helps your body maintain this particular apatite structure.)
Chlorapatite - Ca5(PO4)3Cl is the least common form and has not been
found as a major component in biological system.
Apatite minerals have a structure and chemistry that allow for numerous types of elements to be substituted into their structure. This property allows them to bind many toxic metals into stable mineral structures that will resist leaching for centuries.
Metals of particular interest that can be substituted
/ remediated by exchanging with calcium in the apatite structure include: barium,
cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, strontium, uranium, and zinc. In addition, the
flexible apatite structure allows several important elements to be trapped by
exchanging with the phosphate ions including: arsenic and chromium.