The status of strontium in biological apatites: an XANES investigation

XANES collected at the Sr K-edge and ab initio FEFF9 numerical simulations have been performed to establish a possible relationship between the preparation mode of the calcification (cellular activity and precipitation) and the adsorption mode of Sr²⁺ cations (simple adsorption or insertion). Is it possible to draw a line between life and chemistry through the localization of Sr in apatite? The question is open for discussion.