The adsorption and photocatalytic decomposition under UV irradiation of dimethyl sulfide ((CH3)(2)S: DMS) on synthetic colloidal calcium hydroxyapatite (Ca-10(PO4)(6)(OH)(2): Hap) particles were examined by in vacuo IR measurements. The adsorption isotherms of DMS on Hap exhibited the Langmuir type. The saturated adsorbed amount of DMS was increased with increasing the outgassing temperature of Hap, showing a maximum of 2.4 molecules/nm(2) at 250 degrees C. Similar tendency could be observed for change in area intensity of surface P-OH bands of Hap estimated from in vacuo IR measurements against outgassing temperature. By adsorption of DMS, the surface P-OH bands of Hap weakened while the CH bands due to DMS appeared. These results revealed that the DMS was adsorbed on surface P-OH groups of Hap. When the UV light was irradiated to the DMS-adsorbed Hap, the surface P-OH bands revived and the CH bands weakened. This fact strongly indicated the photocatalytic decomposition of DMS took place on surface P-OH groups of Hap, which was thought to be due to the formation of surface P-OH center dot radicals by UV irradiation. (C) 2011 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.