Biomin

The Biomineralogy team is involved in researches on crystallization induced by living organisms.

The group is particularly interested in calcite crystallization in corals, such as the Mediterranean Red Coral (Corallium rubrum). Indeed, organisms are able to synthesize skeleton made of calcite crystallites.

By comparing these crystals with those synthesized without any biological control, differences can be observed, such as the chemical composition, physical properties and crystallographic shapes.

The team studies the chemical differences between biogenic and inorganic calcites in terms of major, trace, and isotopic compositions.

Differences in crystallographic properties are also studied with several methods such as X-ray diffraction and Raman and FTIR spectroscopies.