A Colorimetric Analysis of Iron Content in some Vegetables and Herbs

Abstract

For nearly all living organisms, iron is an essential element as it participates in a wide variety of metabolic processes, including oxygen transport, electron transport and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis. It is involved in basic processes, such as respiration and photosynthesis. Iron content is rather low in all organisms, amounting in plants to about 0.009% of dry weight. As Iron is an important element to the human body. Blood loss can lead to a lack of iron and Anemic symptoms. Iron supplements can boost iron levels in the human body. In present study, colorimetric thiocyanate method is used to find out the iron content in some vegetables and herbs. The amount of iron in samples was determined using a set of standard solutions, a photoelectric colorimeter, and Beer’s law, A = ? l c. Iron content of vegetables and herbs commonly consumed was found which was highest in Spinach (9.325 mg) and lowest in mint (1.579 mg) among test samples taken. These observations may serve as indicator on selection of vegetables and herbs that can be consumed to fulfil the requirement of Iron.