Hydrolyses of alpha-tricalcium bis(orthophosphate) Ca-3(PO4)(2) (alpha-TCP) were carried out in a heterogeneous solvent system (hydrophobic organic solvent-water). The hydroxyapatites (HAp) formed were deficient in calcium (Ca/P = 1.56-1.61, a-axis=0.9440 nm, c-axis = 0.6880 nm) and contained acid phosphate (and sometimes carbonate depending on the organic solvent used). The HAp was in the form of needles with a length (1-4 mum) that depended on the polarity of the hydrophobic organic solvent. The aspect ratio was highest in 1-octanol with a polarity of E-T = 48.3. On the other hand, in a hydrophobic organic solvent system without OH groups such as n-octane (E-T = 31.1), HAp formed fine particles that are similar to HAp prepared in a system without an organic solvent. Thus, hydrophobicity and OH groups of organic solvents affect the crystal growth of HAp.