Mössbauer and thermogravimetric study of ferrous gluconate

Ferrous gluconate Fe(C₆H₁₁O₇)₂·2H₂O was investigated by means of⁵⁷Fe (14.4 keV)-Mössbauer spectroscopy and thermogravimetry. The Mössbauer study was performed in the temperature range 80 to 423 K. It was found that Fe²⁺ occupies two distinctly different Mössbauer sites in the hydrated phase and a single site in the product of the thermal treatment. All samples were contaminated by some amount of Fe³⁺. A significant oxidation occurs during thermal treatment (about 378 K) at least for the samples exposed to the air. No Goldanskii-Karyagin effect has been detected, in contrast to the previous claim. It has to be noted that the ferrous gluconate is often used as the iron containing component of drugs used in the treatment of anaemia.