Extraction and characterization of biogenic hydroxyapatites obtained from fish scales of the Cachama, Black Tilapia and Red Tilapia species

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) is the primary mineral component of human bone tissue, making it a valuable material for bone repair due to its biocompatibility, osteoconductivity, rigidity, and hardness.HAP can be sourced from biological materials such as fish scales, aligning with the growing interest in sustainable and ecological production strategies.In Colombia, fish production significantly increased between 2011 and 2020, yielding 179,351 tons of various native species, with Tilapia and Cachama being particularly significant.However, a substantial portion of this production, including filleting remains, skin, fins, skeletons, heads, viscera, and scales, is considered waste but could be repurposed for valuable by-products like HAP.In this study, fish scales from Cachama (CH, Piaractus brachypomus), Black Tilapia (BT, Oreochromis niloticus), and Red Tilapia (RT, Oreochromis sp.) were used to extract biogenic HAP.The scales were treated with an alkaline method, and the percentage of HAP obtained was evaluated.The total percentage of HAP followed the trend: BT (59.0 1.8 %) > RT (47.6 1.7 %) > CH (29.8 1.2 %), indicating that the HAP content varies depending on the fish species.The extracted HAP was characterized using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and identified as type B carbonated HAP (HAC-B).Additionally, the HAP particles were found to be on the nanometric scale, enhancing their potential biomedical applications.