Table 12.
Biomaterial passport: Coral biominerals.
| Scientific Name | Coral Biominerals |
|---|---|
| Chemical structure, MW | Coral skeletons are composed mainly from CaCO3. MW: 100.1 g/mol [344]. |
| Physicochemical properties | Coral material is quite stable. It preserves highly organized porous structure after hydrothermal treatment and even sintering at 1250 °C [345]. Hydrothermal treatment of as sea received coral samples results in the transformation of crystalline aragonite (CaCO3) to hydroxyapatite [345]. |
| Coral extraction/Physical form after extraction | Coral derived materials include coral hydroxyapatite and aragonite, natural coral fragments, coral granules and coral powders [346]. |
| Biomaterials properties (biocompatibility, biodegradability, toxicity, immune responses) | Coral-derived material is biocompatible, structurally similar to human bone, with Young’s modulus of 0.580 to 9.032 GN m−2 (reported for octocorals) [347], non-toxic, biodegradable and of low immunogenicity [4,348]. Mechanical properties of octocorals were shown to depend on environment, i.e., the stiffest skeletons belong to the inhabitants of deeper environments (with pressure >80 atmospheres) while the least stiff skeletons are found in the colonies from shallow environments with moderate waves [347]. |
| Market situation (world market reports) | Materials to reconstruct bone defects are in high demand. In 2021, global markets for orthopedic and dental bone graft products is predicted to reach USD 3.4 billion and USD 1.0 billion, respectively [349]. Bone allografts can be obtained from corals cultured in aquarium systems and enriched with silica and strontium increasing coral osteoconductive properties, which was patented in the U.S.A. and Israel [349]. |
| Patents | Currently, about several hundreds of patents on coral cultivation, hydrothermal treatment of coral material yielding hydroxyapatite, modification of coral material and its applications exist. |
| For search, use: https://patents.google.com/ | |
| Selected examples: | |
| WO2009066463A1. Method of producing coral powder | |
| CN-107951818-A. Reparation toothpaste containing coral powder and hydroxyapatite component and preparation method thereof | |
| WO2010078879A2. Cosmetic use of a coral powder | |
| US8936638B2. Coral bone graft substitute | |
| EP2618858B1. Coral bone graft substitute | |
| WO2009066283A2. Calcium-mediated effects of coral and methods of use thereof | |
| KR100536500B1. Mass propagation methods of Korean Corals | |
| JP2008141989A. Method for propagating coral | |
| CN101702998B. Propagation method for coral grass seedling tissue culture | |
| WO2009066283A3. Calcium-mediated effects of coral and methods of use thereof | |
| EP0952114B1. Weathered hermatypic coral material | |
| DE20311110U1. Biological dental implant consists of coral | |
| US20060147656A1. Simulated coral rock and method of manufacture | |
| RU2472516C1. Biomaterial for bone defect replacement | |
| US7608283B2. Coral purification method and coral thus obtained | |
| WO2002040398A1. Processes for treating coral and coating an object |