Hiller J C, Thompson T J U, Evison M P, Chamberlain A T, Wess T J
Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Biophysics Group, University of Cardiff, Redwood Building, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UK.
Biomaterials. 2003 Dec;24(28):5091-7. doi: 10.1016/s0142-9612(03)00427-7.
The effects of heating and burning on bone mineral have previously been studied using techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) with the aim of discerning a characteristic signature of crystal change. This would enable a better understanding of alteration to bone mineral during heating, which would in turn impact on the preparation and use of natural bone hydroxyapatite as a biomaterial resource. In addition, this knowledge could prove invaluable in the investigation of burned human remains from forensic and archaeological contexts in cremation and funerary practice. Here we describe a complementary method, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), to determine more accurately the changes to bone crystallite size and shape during an experimental heating regimen. Samples were subjected to controlled heating at 500 degrees C, 700 degrees C, or 900 degrees C for 15 or 45 min. Our results show bone crystallites begin to alter in the first 15 min of heating to 500 degrees C or above. They then appear to stabilise to a temperature-specific thickness and shape with prolonged heating. While the samples heated to lower temperatures or for shorter periods produce XRD traces showing little alteration to the apatite, corresponding information obtained from SAXS shows an early, subtle change in crystal parameters.
此前，人们利用诸如X射线衍射（XRD）等技术研究了加热和燃烧对骨矿物质的影响，目的是识别晶体变化的特征信号。这将有助于更好地理解加热过程中骨矿物质的变化，进而影响天然骨羟基磷灰石作为生物材料资源的制备和使用。此外，这一知识在法医和考古背景下对火葬和丧葬习俗中烧焦人类遗骸的调查中可能具有极高价值。在此，我们描述一种补充方法——小角X射线散射（SAXS），以更准确地确定在实验加热过程中骨微晶尺寸和形状的变化。将样品在500摄氏度、700摄氏度或900摄氏度下进行15分钟或45分钟的控制加热。我们的结果表明，在加热到500摄氏度及以上的最初15分钟内，骨微晶开始发生变化。随着加热时间延长，它们似乎稳定到特定温度下的厚度和形状。虽然加热到较低温度或较短时间的样品产生的XRD图谱显示磷灰石几乎没有变化，但从SAXS获得的相应信息显示晶体参数有早期的细微变化。
