New patents for eggshells to heal cracked bones

Eggs make you healthy, but did you know their shells can help heal broken bones? A research team at Periyar University, Salem, has patented two technologies for commercial production of hydroxyapatite, a calcium phosphate mineral found in bones and teeth, from eggshells.

These technologies use eggshells as bone grafts, coatings for dental and orthopaedic implants, and as scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. One of the patented technologies to convert eggshells into hydroxyapatite involves flowing a solution containing ground eggshells and phosphate in a microwave reactor.

It rapidly and uniformly heats using microwave radiation at around 100 degrees centigrade. The resulting product contains calcium phosphate in powder form and other byproducts, which can be washed and removed.

The researchers claim their technology helps in quick production of hydroxyapatite from eggshells and gives a better yield.