Depending on the pH value, phytic acid presents high chelating potential bonding metallic ions thus inhibiting the production of reactivated oxygen species, which are responsible for the oxidative destruction in biological systems. Such chelating potential has been the basis of several studies on the antioxidant action in food products. The objective of this work was to study the degree of interaction of the phytic acid with the metallic ions Fe(II) and Fe(III), of biological importance, in near-physiological conditions and the stability of these complexes. Potentiometric titrations were applied to determine the constants of formation of the complexes phytic acid-Fe(II) and phytic acid-Fe(III) in aqueous solution, inert atmosphere, ionic strength of 0.100 mol.L-1 in potassium chloride, and temperature at 36 ± 0,1 ºC. UV-Vis spectroscopic studies in the were conducted to investigate the formation of the complexes in the solution. The complexes phytic acid-Fe(II) and phytic acid-Fe(III) were synthesized and characterized by infrared absorption spectroscopy and by thermoanalytical studies. The results indicate the bonding of the metallic ions and the phytic acid both in solution and in the solid state.
phytic acid; Fe(II) and Fe(III) complexes; stability
