Determination of Iron Content in Different Branded Iron Syrups Using UV-Visible Spectrophotometry

Abstract:

The present study focuses on the determination of iron content in different branded iron syrups using UV–Visible spectrophotometry. Iron is an essential micronutrient required for vital physiological functions such as oxygen transport, enzyme activity, and hemoglobin synthesis. Iron deficiency remains a major public health concern, particularly among children and pregnant women, thereby necessitating accurate evaluation of iron content in pharmaceutical formulations to ensure efficacy and safety. In this study, various commercially available iron syrup brands were selected for quantitative analysis. The samples were appropriately diluted and treated with suitable reagents to form a colored iron complex, which exhibits maximum absorbance in the visible region. Typically, iron reacts with complexing agents such as thiocyanate or o-phenanthroline to produce a stable-colored complex. The intensity of the color formed is directly proportional to the concentration of iron present in the sample, following Beer–Lambert’s law. A series of standard iron solutions were prepared to construct a calibration curve by measuring absorbance at the selected wavelength (λmax). The absorbance of the prepared sample solutions was then recorded using a UV–Visible spectrophotometer, and the iron content in each brand was determined by interpolation from the calibration curve. The results obtained were compared with the labeled claims to evaluate the accuracy, consistency, and quality of the formulations. The method demonstrated good linearity, precision, and reproducibility within the selected concentration range. Any variation observed among different brands highlights the importance of stringent quality control measures in pharmaceutical manufacturing. In conclusion, the proposed UV–Visible spectrophotometric method provides a simple, rapid, and cost-effective approach for the determination of iron content in syrup formulations and can be effectively employed for routine quality control analysis in pharmaceutical laboratories.