The laser-Raman spectroscopic studies on human enamel and precipitated carbonate-containing apatites.

Laser-Raman spectra of synthetic apatites containing from zero to 12.4 wt% carbonate ions and enamel apatite are reported. Special attention is paid to the correlation between the intensities of the carbonate, phosphate, and hydroxyl modes and the carbonate content in the apatites. The data presented here indicate that most of the CO2-3 incorporated in the apatite lattice substitutes for PO3-4 and suggest that a small amount of CO2-3 might be located in the OH- position.