Calcium phosphate
Chemical compound
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Orthophosphates, di- and monohydrogen phosphates
These materials contain Ca2+ combined with PO3−4, HPO2−4, or H2PO−4:
- Monocalcium phosphate, E341 (CAS# 7758-23-8 for anhydrous; CAS#10031-30-8 for monohydrate: Ca(H2PO4)2 and Ca(H2PO4)2(H2O)
- Dicalcium phosphate (dibasic calcium phosphate), E341(ii) (CAS# 7757–93–9): CaHPO4 (mineral: monetite), dihydrate CaHPO4(H2O)2 (mineral: brushite) and monohydrate CaHPO4(H2O)
- Tricalcium phosphate (tribasic calcium phosphate or tricalcic phosphate, sometimes referred to as calcium phosphate or calcium orthophosphate, whitlockite), E341(iii) (CAS#7758-87-4): Ca3(PO4)2
- Octacalcium phosphate (CAS# 13767–12–9): Ca8H2(PO4)6·5H2O
- Amorphous calcium phosphate is a glassy precipitate of variable composition that may be present in biological systems.
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Di- and polyphosphates
These materials contain Ca(2+) combined with the polyphosphates, such as P2O4−7 and triphosphate P3O5−10:
- Dicalcium diphosphate (CAS#7790-76-3]: Ca2P2O7
- Calcium triphosphate (CAS# 26158–70–3): Ca5(P3O10)2
Hydroxy- and oxo-phosphates
These materials contain other anions in addition to phosphate:
- Hydroxyapatite Ca5(PO4)3(OH)
- Apatite Ca10(PO4)6(OH,F,Cl,Br)2
- Tetracalcium phosphate (CAS#1306-01-0): Ca4(PO4)2O
Culinary use
Calcium phosphate was approved by the FDA in the US for use as a white food coloring because of a 2023 petition from Innophos Inc. of Cranbury, New Jersey.
Clinical significance
Calcium phosphate stones account for approximately 15% of kidney stone disease. Calcium phosphate stones tend to grow in alkaline urine, especially when Proteus bacteria are present. It is the most common type in pregnant women.
Calcium phosphate is the usual constitution of microcalcifications of the breast, particularly dystrophic calcifications. Microcalcifications as can be seen on mammography can be an early sign of breast cancer. Based on morphology, it is possible to classify by radiography how likely microcalcifications are to indicate cancer.