The properties of a porous hydroxyapatite ceramic produced by sintering of bovine bone were investigated by using a number of physicochemical methods such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), SEM in combination with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), mercury intrusion porosimetry, krypton-adsorption, contact angle measurements, wide angle X-ray diffraction. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, inductively coupled plasma optical atom emissions spectroscopy and flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. The results indicate that there are considerable differences between the ceramic and native bone. However, the most important properties with respect to the use of such ceramics as a biomaterial for filling bone defects namely the high porosity (> or = 57 +/- 2%) and the interconnecting pore system are maintained. While macropores with an average diameter of approx. 300 microm contribute 97% to porosity, micropores with an average diameter of 1.3 microm account for only 3% of the total porosity. The surface area was found to be approx. 0.1 m2/g. The contact angles of water (44.6 +/- 15.4 degrees, n = 5) and tetrahydrofurane (10 degrees) allow the processing of the ceramic to a drug carrier by incubation with aqueous or organic drug solutions. The ceramic is highly crystalline with crystal sizes of 1-7 microm and contains crystal bridges. The investigation of its chemical composition revealed small amounts of other inorganic compounds such as Ca4O(PO4)2, NaCaPO4, Ca3(PO4)2, CaO, and MgO. Besides trace amounts of aluminum, iron, magnesium, potassium, silica, sodium, vanadium and zinc it contains probably carbonated apatite.