Iron in ferrous gluconate and Ascofer (registered)

Ferrous gluconate and antianemic medicament Ascofer (registered) were investigated with Moessbauer spectroscopy in order to determine forms of iron ions present in both types of samples. Room temperature spectra gave a clear evidence that two phases of iron were present viz. ferrous (Fe2+) as a major one with a contribution of ∼85 ±5 %, and ferric (Fe3+) whose contribution was found to be ∼15±5 %. Ferrous ions were shown to occupy at least two different sites.