Diatom Chaetoceros Sp. as an Efficient Biological Antidote in Iron Toxicity: In‐Vitro and In‐Vivo Experiments

Abstract

All living organisms require mineral iron, but excess iron can lead to the production of free radicals and organ damage, such as liver damage in humans. This study investigated the diatom Chaetoceros sp. as an iron adsorbent in iron overload. First, the morphology and chemical composition of the diatom was characterized by spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. It was defined that diatoms have spherical particles with an average size of less than 2.0 μm. The affinity of diatoms for ionic Fe (II) uptake was evaluated. Fe (II) adsorption capacity was determined in vitro in two simulated intestinal and gastric aqueous media with pH values of 7.2 and 1.2. In both media, the diatom acted as a super‐adsorbent of Fe (II), while the highest adsorption occurred in a medium with a pH of 1.2. The correlation of the adsorption isotherm data was well studied with three well‐known equations, Langmuir, Fruindlich, and Redlich‐Peterson. The Langmuir model fitted the adsorption data best. The pseudo‐first‐order reaction model also provided a good fit for the adsorption kinetic data. In the in vivo study, the diatom was administered to iron‐overloaded rats. Biochemical parameters of organ damage and plasma Fe levels were determined at 2 h and 24 h intervals after diatom administration. The results show that diatoms can prevent acute iron poisoning by reducing plasma levels. Diatoms proved to be potent antidote agents in iron overdose conditions.