Study of Complexes of Tannic Acid with Fe(III) and Fe(II)

UV-Vis absorption spectra of tannic acid were gained at pH 1.0∼9.0. Due to the pH value dependence of complex, the stoichiometry of tannic acid with iron ions was tested in buffer solution by the mole ratio method. The result suggests that the complex ratio of tannic acid to Fe(III) is 1 : 1 and to Fe(II) 3 : 1 in the carbonate buffer solution, and the complex ratio of iron-tannic complexes is 1 : 1 at pH 2.2. Due to the different color changes of tannic acid with iron ions in the coordination reactions, a tannic acid test paper was designed. The concentrations of Fe(III) more than 5.000 × 10 −6 mol/L and the concentrations of Fe(II) more than 1.000 × 10 −5 mol/L in aqueous solution can be detected by this test paper.