Paramagnetic Centers of Mineral Component in Annealed Bone Tissue

Abstract

The mineral components of powdered samples of cortical dense bone tissue of domestic animals (pig and cow) were studied by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Bone tissue was heated in a temperature range 600-1000 ºС in an oven and then held for more than one year at room temperature. This was done to allow short-lived defects to decay and to let the mineral structures stabilize. In these heat-treated samples, within the limits of the sensitivity of the experiments, no EPR signals were detected, but after irradiation with X-rays, multicomponent EPR signals appeared. Spectra vary depending on the heating temperatures. Paramagnetic centers related to РО32–, NO42–, CO2–, CO33– and O– groups are observed. The g-factor of spectroscopic splitting and amplitude of ultrafine interaction of the indicated paramagnetic centers in the spectra were determined. Due to different relaxation behavior of the paramagnetic centers, and hence their saturation effects, the form of the total EPR signals significantly depends on the microwave power level at which the spectra are recorded. Therefore, EPR signals were recorded at high (5 mW) and low (0.13 mW) microwave power levels. The temperature dependency of EPR signal amplitude was determined for some paramagnetic centers in the range of 600-1000 ºС. The EPR signal properties of the heated bone samples and synthetic hydroxylapatites were compared. The spectra indicate that phosphates in bone tissue have a more complex structure than simple synthetic hydroxylapatite. The results of this work can be used to create synthetic analogs of bone tissue, to help in the manufacturing of implants that are used to treat bone tissue, and to study the processes related to the assimilation of mineralogic-based implants by living bone tissue.