NUR-SULTAN – The scientists from the Kazakh Institute of Combustion Problems produced a biomaterial for bone regeneration, called hydroxyapatite, which is three times cheaper than its foreign alternatives, reports the Kazakh Ministry of Education and Science.
It is similar to the human hard tissues in morphology and composition. Photo credit: Kazakh Ministry of Education and Science
Hydroxyapatite is a naturally occurring form of calcium phosphate mineral and an essential element in bone regeneration. It is highly compatible with living tissues and is widely used in bone and teeth replacement and repair.
Foreign companies sell high-quality hydroxyapatite at nearly 32,000 tenge (US$75) per gram, while the local alternative costs 10,000 tenge (US$23) per gram. Domestic companies have purchased the first batch of biomaterial.
According to institute scientist Zulkhair Mansurov, hydroxyapatite production includes heat treatment, roasting, special chemical reactions, and post-thermal roasting.
“We improved the whole methodology as we increased the time and chose a higher temperature regime among other measures. As a result, we got a high-quality material with an improved crystalline structure and with a high purity of the product (95 percent),” said Mansurov.
Mansurov and his colleague Doctor of Medical Science Maksut Temirbayev now continue to work on the practical application of the biomaterial. It will be used in the restoration of bone defects, injuries with bone damage, fractures, and facial bone surgery with dental implantation.
“It is worth noting that implants coated with hydroxyapatite do not cause rejection reactions and have the ability to actively bind to healthy bone tissue, accelerating the regeneration and rehabilitation process. Our domestic hydroxyapatite can easily replace imported materials,” says Mansurov.
In the follow-up to the outcomes of the research, scientific works have been published in databases of the Ministry of Education and Science and Scopus, one of the world’s largest curated abstract and citation databases, that confirm the reliability and relevance of the research work.
