Stability of Iron-Based Powders with Different Phase Compositions in Biological Media

Abstract

The interaction of iron-based powders with different phase compositions with model biomedia is investigated in experiments in vitro. The powders are synthesized from iron oxalates over a range from 450 to 830°C in a carbon-containing atmosphere and from citrates at 390 and 450 °С with prolonged holding in a protective hydrogen medium. The phase composition of the powders is determined using a DRON 3.0 x-ray diffractometer under Со-К_α radiation. Fresh frozen human blood plasma is used as biological media and distilled water and a 0.9% NaCl solution as inorganic media. It is shown that different processes occur in blood plasma and inorganic media: corrosion in water media and interaction between iron and blood plasma protein to form iron-protein complexes in plasma-containing media. The dissolution rate of the powders in blood plasma depends on their α-iron content: the higher the latter, the more active the interaction of the powder with plasma proteins such as ferritin and transferrin, the basic components of the γ-globulin fraction. The powders synthesized via decomposition of citrates at 450 and 390°С with prolonged holding in a protective hydrogen medium interact with the model solutions of digestive juice far more intensely, which makes them promising for the development of iron-containing food supplements.