Iron Binding by Sodium Alginate

Abstract

ABSTRACT Sodium alginate was dispersed in iron chelate solutions and incubated for 10 min. The alginate was precipitated with acetone and the iron in the supernatant measured. Bound iron was calculated. The effects of pH, iron: alginate ratio, chelator, and competing cation on iron binding by alginate were determined. Binding increased as the pH decreased and as the iron:alginate ratio increased; the chelator used (EDTA, NTA, ascorbic acid, citrate) affected complexing. Binding decreased in the presence of calcium. In vitro iron availability studies indicated that alginate‐iron complexes are disrupted during digestion.