A rapid and simple method for the determination of heavy metals content inhydroxyapatite by atomic absorption spectroscopy and anodic stripping voltammetry

Hydroxyapatite Ca-10(PO4)(6)(OH)(2) has been recently extensively used in m edicine and stomatology. It is necessary to determine the heavy metals cont ent in such materials since their excess causes the colouring of the implan ts. Two analytical methods are applied: AAS and ASV. Copper, zinc, iron, ar senic and mercury are determined by AAS. Copper, cadmium and lead are deter mined by ASV, zinc and iron by differential pulse voltammetry, DPV. Concent rations of the determined metals in hydroxyapatite vary within the interval s: 3.5-22 ppm for copper, 4.4-15 ppm for zinc, 15-32 ppm for iron, 0.004-0. 10 ppm for cadmium, 0.06-2.5 ppm for lead, 0.04-0.22 ppm for arsenic, 0.03- 0.06 ppm for mercury. In the case of Cu, Zn, Fe determined by AAS the conce ntrations were practically the same as those obtained by ASV or DPV.