Quantification of lithium and calcium in novel hydroxyapatite-based materials for osteoplasty using flame photometry

A method for quantification of lithium additives and calcium as a sample base component during synthesis of new materials based on hydroxyapatites (HA) using flame atomic emission spectroscopy is proposed to reveal a connection in the chain «synthesis conditions — composition — functional properties». Ceramic samples were obtained by co-deposition using Li carbonate and calcination at 1300°C. The materials were synthesized with a lithium content of 0.25 to 1 at.%, some of the samples were synthesized with the co-addition of cerium Ce(NO₃)₃ from 0.25 to 1 at.%. The method of additives and reference solutions were used to determine Li in HA samples. The determination of calcium was carried out in separate aliquots after 50-fold dilution. It is shown that the determination of lithium at concentrations of 0.1 mg/liter by flame photometry in hydroxyapatite solutions is possible with S_r of 0.1. It is shown that it is difficult to dope the material with lithium by co-precipitation from solutions, while heat treatment during synthesis does not affect the result. It is proposed to use joint doping of the material with lithium and cerium, while at least 0.25 at.% Li is included in the HA structure. The developed technique can be used to determine lithium and calcium using a flame photometer PFA 378 at all stages of the synthesis of new materials based on HA.

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