Iron

Question 1

what salts is iron used as?

Answer 1

Ferric salts (Fe2+) and ferrous salts (Fe3+)

Question 2

what does iron do?

Answer 2

• essential for metabolic process in cell
• in respiratory chain it f’ns as an electron carrier
• transport of oxygen

Question 3

what are the iron storage/transport protein?

Answer 3

ferritin (water soluble) and hemosiderin (water insoluble), found in liver, spleen, bone marrow.

Question 4

what is transferrin?

Answer 4

a glycoprotein in blood plasma that is the major iron transport prot and has 2 ferric ions bound it them. Releases iron into RBC precursor by attaching to its receptors

Question 5

what is iron lost through?

Answer 5

hemorrhage, pregnancy, menstrual cycle, small amts in urine and feces

Question 6

what are the preparations of iron?

Answer 6

liq orals, tabs, capsules. Orals can cause constipation and irritate GIT leading to vomitting and diarrhea

Question 7

what overdosing of iron causes?

Answer 7

poisoning and death

Question 8

how to treat iron overdose?

Answer 8

gastric leverage followed by sodium bicarbonate and sodium dihydrogen phosphate converting iron to insoluble iron salt

Question 9

Describe haematinic and its uses

Answer 9

• ferric ammonium citrate
• a complex salt of not <20.5% and not >22.5% iron
• uses ferric sulphate, sodium hydroxide, ammonia, citric acid
• reddish-brown, used as a scottish carbonated soft drink, a contrast medium in med

Question 10

what is the sources of iron?

Answer 10

ferrous fumarate, ferrous gluconate, ferrous sulphate

Question 11

describe ferrous fumarate

Answer 11

• is the iron salt of fumeric acid
• reddish-orange colour, odourless powder
• slightly soluble in water and alcohol
• dissolves in dilute HCL, resistant to oxidation on exposure to air

Question 12

describe ferrous gluconate

Answer 12

• the iron salt of gluconic acid
• a black compound
• occurs as yellowish/greyish fine powder
• taste like burnt sugar
• soluble in water, insoluble in alcohol
• slightly irritating to GI
• used treat hypo chromic anaemia
• food additive when processing black olives

Question 13

describe ferrous sulphate

Answer 13

• odourless, blue-green crystal
• known as copperas and green vitriol
• oxidised in moist air
• soluble in water, insoluble in alcohol
• irritating to GI mucosa
• when heated it decomposes to ferric oxide, h2SO4, SO2, H20

Question 14

what is the reaction of ferrous sulphate?

Answer 14

• on heating it releases SO2, SO3 and Fe2O3
• it reduces nitric acid to nitrogen oxide and chloride to chlorine