Hydroxyapatite Production and Characterization from Four Pufferfish Species Teeth

The pufferfishes are invasive alien fish species in the Mediterranean Sea with a powerful toxin in its body called tetrodotoxin. It has no economic value and is very abundant all over the world's marine waters. Calcium phosphate bioceramic materials especially hydroxyapatite are commonly applied as implant resources because of their close resemblance in structure with natural bone. In this study, natural hydroxyapatite was obtained from the teeth of four pufferfish, the obtained products were characterised and their potential uses in the biomedical industry were revealed. Pufferfish teeth were extracted from the fish, thoroughly rinsed using deionized water, measured, and subsequently placed within a furnace set at a temperature of 105 degrees C. Once dehydrated, the teeth were finely pulverized using a planetary ball mill. This powdered material was then subjected to various analyses, including elemental composition assessment, TTX analysis, and SEM-EDX examinations. Ca/P atomic ratio values of Lagocephalus suezensis, L. guentheri, Sphoeroides pachygaster and Torguigener favimaculasus teeth were obtained as 1.58, 1.64, 1.67 and 1.47, respectively. The analysis findings suggest that pufferfish teeth could serve as a promising natural alternative source for biomedical and various other industries in need of natural hydroxyapatite. This hydroxyapatite can be utilized for creating fillers, implants, bone powder, and prostheses with applications in biomedicine and various industries. However, it should not be forgotten that the necessary tests must be carried out before any human use is made available.