Class: BE210
Group: 102_B1
Members:

Rod Afshar
Michael Cosulich
Alexander Kent
Susan Yoon

Powerpoint Presentation
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The pilot experiment’s primary goal is to develop a decalcification protocol for quantifying calcium loss in the compact bone of chicken femur shafts.  Total calcium content as well as percent calcium loss will be investigated.  First, it is our aim to gravimetrically analyze the average calcium content of chicken femur shafts, by mass.  Second, we hope to provide a reference table which relates percent of total calcium loss to time of decalcification for four selected time points.  The purpose of this table is to aid investigators who are studying the effect of calcium content on the structural and material properties of bone; an experimenter can chose a desired decalcification range and then refer to the table to attain the necessary decalcification time.  
    There are two hypotheses, one for each of the two aims.  With regard to calcium content of bone, it is expected that calcium comprises approximately thirteen percent of total compact bone mass.  This estimate was determined using the fact that the mineral matrix of hydroxyapatite composes half of total bone mass and that calcium accounts for 26% of the hydroxyapatite ion by mass (Chandler).  Secondly, it is expected that the decalcification rate will be most rapid for the earlier time points and slow as exposure time in solution increases.  It is expected that a plot of % decalcification vs. time will follow a logarithmic trend.