Use of a model gut system to study the effects of dietary fibre and multivitamins on the speciation of copper, zinc and iron

Abstract

A gut model has been used to examine the speciation of three dietary available elements, Cu, Zn and Fe and their complexation with fibre and multivitamins. The analytical system consisted of an FI-ICP-MS interface for the determination of soluble and insoluble elemental distributions in samples. Solubility of elements was found to increase in the gut whereas in the intestinal tract they were seen to decrease. Experimental details are given for both the gut model and the speciation methodology used. The presence of fibre in the model had the greatest influence on elemental solubility in the intestinal tract whilst multivitamins have a less pronounced effect. The reduction in solubility of elements was most notable for zinc whilst the effect on iron and copper was notably less.