Study of Bioactive Materials Containing New Complex of Iron(II) Citrate

Iron is an essential trace element for animals, in fact the human body is not able to produce iron independently and for this reason it must be obtained by dietary intake. Generally, with proper nutrition and intact intestinal flora, the required dose of iron can be taken through food. However, in case of deficiency, it is necessary to resort to the use of specific dietary supplements and in more serious cases, to a targeted drug therapy that is based on venous injection of iron compounds. The purpose of this work is to develop a bioactive material capable of releasing ferrous ions in a controlled manner. Therefore, a new iron(II) citrate complex is synthesized by a redox reaction between iron and citric acid. Subsequently, the complex obtained is subjected to a series of chemical analyses for its characterization and to RX diffraction to assess crystallinity of solid. Moreover, it is incorporated in a SiO2 matrix in different weight percentages, by means of a sol–gel pathway, to achieve a controlled release system of iron. Finally, a bioactivity test is performed in a simulated body fluid to assess its potential efficacy, using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analysis.