Calcium phosphate
Encyclopedia : C : CA : CAL : Calcium phosphate
Varieties
| Tricalcium phosphate | Ca3(PO4)2 (also called tribasic calcium phosphate; occurs in alpha and beta phases, beta also known as Whitlockite) |
| Dicalcium phosphate | CaHPO4 (also called calcium monohydrogen phosphate) |
| Calcium dihydrogen phosphate | Ca(H2PO4)2 (also called monocalcium phosphate) |
| Ca4H(PO4)3 | |
| Calcium pyrophosphate | Ca2P2O7 (occurs as alpha, beta and gamma phases) |
| Hydroxylapatite | Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 |
Uses
Calcium phosphate is an important raw material for the production of phosphoric acid and fertilizers, for example in the Odda process. Overuse of certain forms of calcium phosphate can lead to nutrient containing surface runoff and subsequent adverse effects upon receiving waters such as algal blooms and eutrophication.Calcium phosphate is also a raising agent, with E number E341. Is a mineral salt found in rocks and bones, it is used in cheese products. No known side effects.
It is also used as a nutritional supplement. There is some debate about the different bioavailabilities of the different calcium salts.
Another practical application of the compound is its use in gene transfection. The calcium ions can make a cell competent (a euphemism for "rip holes in its membrane") to allow exogenous genes to enter the cell by diffusion. A heat shock afterwards then induces the cell to repair itself. This is a quick and easy method for transfection, albeit a rather inefficient one.
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