French and American doctors and researchers have used X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) analysis on the DIFFABS beamline, coupled with numerical simulations to study the local environment of strontium Sr2 + ions. Their goal is a better understanding of how and where to set the Sr2 + ions in different types of mineral deposit: physiological (bones), but also pathological calcifications (kidney, bladder or prostate stones).
Their studies show that it is possible, using XANES, through the presence of specific spectral signatures, to differentiate between the samples in which strontium is included in the calcified matrix (i.e. bones ) from those in which the Sr2 + ions have only been adsorbed by the tissue surface (i.e. stones). The samples studied came from patients not treated with strontium, which means that these results describe the physiological processes that occurred in the body from strontium naturally provided by food.
The use of XANES, an analysis technique adapted to localizing strontium in different mineralized structures, thus appears as a choice tool for understanding therapies derived from strontium which target osteoporosis.
 | Example of sample studied in this work: piece of bone with some cartilage at the top (yellowish colour). |
Reference of the publication related to this work:
The status of strontium in biological apatites: an XANES investigation
D. Bazin, M. Daudon, Ch. Chappard, J.J. Rehr, D. Thiaudière, S. Reguer
Journal of Synchrotron Radiation (2011) Volume 18, Part 6
doi:10.1107/S0909049511032651
