The hydroxyapatite solubility product of human dental enamel as a function of pH in the range 4.6-7.6 at 20 degrees C.

Samples of 200 mg powdered enamel apatite were suspended in 10 ml of aqueous solutions made from phosphoric acid and calcium hydroxide for 60 days at 20 degrees C. Calcium and phosphate concentrations were determined by spectroscopy; pH and the concentrations of fluoride and carbonate by electrometry. The solubility product of hydroxyapatite varied linearly from 10-56.9 at pH 4.6 to 10-52.8 at pH 7.6. The carbonate concentration in the aqueous phase was too low to account for calcium carbonate complex formation of significance to the solubility product. After the equilibration, X-ray diffraction analysis of the powder showed that the salt was unchanged pure apatite with no trace of a transformation to brushite or any other calcium phosphate. A re-equilibration of some of the powder samples for another 60 days produced similar solubility products. Thus the change of the solubility product was most likely attributable to a pH-induced change of the ionic composition of the enamel crystal surface.