Estimation of Iron in Different Arums, Bananas, Vegetable and Pulses of Five Upazila of Chittagong District by Spectrophotometric Method

Introduction

Iron^1-5 is an essential element for animal body. About 0.005% of the animal body is iron and perheps two-third occurs in hemoglobin. Although present in small quantity compared to calcium, sodium, chloride and others. Iron is a necessary mineral for body function and good health. Every red blood cell in the body contains iron in its hemoglobin, the pigment that carries oxygen to the tissues from the lungs. Iron is essential to the cells of animals. In addition to this role in Hb, iron is component of Mb, a protein of muscle that functions as an oxygen carrier. Some other compounds participate in food digestion. Iron is also a component of a number of enzymes, mostly of the group participating in the transfer of hydrogen or electrons. Thus the cytochromes, cytochrome-oxidase, certain flavoproteins, xanthine oxidase and others are iron proteins. Iron dificiency cause anemia which play a role in causing illnesses such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. The weather of Bangladesh is suitable for the cultivation of different arums, bananas, vegetable and pulses. The people can collect iron rich arums, bananas, vegetable and pulses easily from local market in cheap rate or they can grow so much this arums, bananas, vegetable and pulses. Different arums, bananas, vegetable and pulses contain different amount of iron. In the present investigation, the amount of iron in some arums, bananas, vegetable and pulses are determined by spectrophotometric method.

Experimental Section

Material

The arums, bananas, vegetable and pulses were collected from different thanas/upazilas of Chittagong. After burning, the ashes were weighed and stored in stoppered bottles.

Reagent and Chemicals

Analytical grade chemicals were generally used for analysis and in some cases these were of reagent quality. Solution for analysis were prepared according to standard procedure. Distilled water and ethanol were used throughout the studies.

Reagent Required

• Conc.HCl,
• NH₂OH, HCl
• Orthophenanthroline,
• Buffer solution,
• NH₄OH,
• Congored paper,
• Ferric ammonium sulphate

Apparatus

GBC UV-visible Cintral 101/202/303/404 spectrophotometric operational manual used for measuring absorbance of the samples.

Preparation of Reagent^6,7

• HCl: H₂O= 1:1 (36% HCl and distilled water were used for the prepation of 1:1 ratio)
• 10% NH₂OH.HCl solutio: 10% NH₂OH.HCl was prepared by dissolving 25 gm NH₂OH.HCl in 250 ml distilled water.
• NH₄OH:H₂O= 1:1 (14.3 N NH₄OH and distilled water were used for the preparation of 1:1 ratio.
• Buffer solution: Buffer (pH=5) was prepared by dissolving 60825gm of NaOOCCH₃.H₂O in water containing 15 ml of 1 N HCl and diluted with distilled water to 250 ml.
• Orthophenanthroline solution: Orthophenanthroline solution was prepared by dissolving 0.13 gm Orthophenanthroline powder in a 250 ml volumetric flask and dilluted up to the mark with distilled water. The powder was fully dissolve by shaking. This Orthophenanthroline solution was throughout the present investigation.
• Congored paper: 0.01 gm Congored powder was dissolved in 10 ml ethanol. This is known as Congored solution and then dried. This Congored papers were used throughout the studies.
• Ferric ammonium sulphate solution: 0.216 gm A. R. Ferric ammonium sulphate was dissolved in a one liter volumetric flask with distilled water and 1.25 ml conc. HCl was added. The total volume was made 250 ml with distilled water. In this solution 1 ml contains=0.1 mg Fe³⁺. This solution was kept as stock solution and was used for the preparation of calibration curve.

Experimental Method^6,7

A weighed portion ash of the arums, bananas, vegetables and pulses sample was dissolved in 2 mL conc.HCl in a 250 ml beaker and the solution was diluted by 100 mL of distilled water. Then took 20 mL stock solution and was added following reagent. 1 mL of 10% NH₂OH.HCl solution was added to reduce Fe³⁺ to Fe^2+.

Orthophenanthroline solution (W/V) 5 mL together with one piece of Congo red paper was added in the solution. The red color of the paper was changed in blue. NH₄OH solution was added drop wise till just alkaline, i.e. Congo red paper just becomes red. Buffer (pH=5) solution (5 mL) was added. After filtration using Whatman-42 filter paper, the solution was dilluted to 100 mL with distilled water. An orange red color developed and its absorbance was measured in a spectrophotometer within 10 to 20 minutes at 515 nm. A blank solution was prepared by using the entire reagent by similar procedure and was used to make specrophotometer reading zero before measuring the absorbance of evere sample solution.

Fig 1 · Calibration graph of Fe³⁺

Preparation of Calibration Curve⁶

Calibration curve was prepared by using the stock solution of ferric ammonium sulphate where 1 mL solution contains 0.1 mg Fe³⁺. Different amount of volumes (0.1 mL, 0.2 mL, 0.3 mL, 0.4 mL, 0.5 mL, 0.6 mL, 0.7 mL, 0.8 mL, 0.9 mL, 1.0 mL) were taken in different volumetric flasks (100 mL) from stock solution. In each of the flask 50 mL distilled water and 2 mL conc. HCl were added. Then 10% NH₂OH.HCl (1 mL) was added. Subsequently 5 mL orthophenanthrolines solution (W/V) and 1 piece of congored paper were added into the solution of each flask. The congored paper turned into blue. NH₄OH solution was added dropwise just the solution becomes alkaline. It was denoted by the congored just returned to red. Then adding 5 mL buffer solution (pH=5) in each of the flask. The solutions were filtered through a Whatman-42 filter paper. The total volume was made just 100 mL with distilled wate. An orange red colour developed and its absorbance was measured in a spectrophotometer within 10 to 15 minutes of color development at 515 nm. By using the entire reagent except ferric ammonium sulphate solution a blank solution was prepared by similar procedure and was used to make the spectrophotometer reading zero before measuring the every standard solutions. The calibration curve was used for measuring the concentration of unknown samples.

Result and Discussion

Results of present investigation on the collected samples of different Arums, Bananas, Vegetable and Pulses are presented.

Conclusion

The deficiency of iron cause anemia. Most of the people of our country are poor. So they cannot buy rich food. The persons, who suffer from iron deficiency, can get rid of their diseases by selecting the iron-rich arums, bananas, vegetable and pulses. If they are unable to buy these iron rich arums, bananas, vegetable and pulses from the market, they can grow such arums, bananas, vegetable and pulses in their gardens or fields.

References

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