Analysis of Iron-Binding Compounds in Biological Tissues by Mössbauer Spectrometry.

Properties of iron in various samples of biological tissues were analyzed from the point of view of demonstration of their magnetic properties and structural positions. ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectrometry in transmission mode was applied as a principal investigation tool. Absorption spectra were recorded directly from lyophilized tissues of human brain, human and horse spleen. Mössbauer measurements were performed at room temperature (∼300 K) and at the temperature of 4.2 K using liquid helium bath cryostat. Each spectrum obtained at room temperature exhibits doublet-like features, which indicated presence of very small non-magnetically ordered or superparamagnetic particles. Low-temperature Mössbauer spectra are superpositions of sextets and one doublet. Spectral parameters of the sextet-like components are similar to those for hematite, ferrihydrite or possibly magnetite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]