Design and Scale-Up of a Synthesis Process for Antimicrobial Oxygenated Apatites for Biomedical Applications

This study presents the design and scaling of a pilot-scale process for synthesizing antimicrobial oxygenated apatites, with emphasis on reproducibility and industrial scalability. The system achieves a daily production of 600 g of bioactive apatite using calcium nitrate or chloride, and 300 g/day with calcium carbonate under optimized conditions. Key units—including a double-jacketed reactor (40°C) with a marine agitator and an optimized mixer—were dimensioned using experimental data to maintain a Ca/P ratio of 1.575, ensuring structural integrity and controlled release of oxygenated species. Heat transfer, mixing dynamics, and agitation power were rigorously calculated to enable consistent scale-up. This work provides a validated framework for transitioning lab-scale apatite synthesis to controlled industrial production.