Preparation Note

Kit is compatible with serum and tissue samples but not plasma samples.

General description

Iron is a mineral that plays an essential role in many biological processes, including iron transport and redox reactions. Iron is a transition element that can form a range of oxidation states, the most common being
iron II (Fe²⁺ or ferrous iron) and iron III (Fe³⁺ or ferric iron). Iron-containing proteins participate in many reactions, often utilizing transitory changes in the oxidation state of iron to carry out chemical reactions.

In this assay, iron is released by the addition of an acidic buffer. Samples may be tested directly to measure Fe²⁺ or reduced to measure total iron (Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺). Released iron is reacted with a chromagen resulting in a colorimetric (593 nm) product, proportional to the iron present. The Iron Assay Kit provides a simple convenient means of measuring iron in a variety of biological samples.