Ferrocyanide
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The ferrocyanide ion is Fe(CN)64−. Using IUPAC nomenclature, this would be called hexacyanoferrate(II) ion, but the old name is most common.
The ferrocyanide ion is quite stable; once formed, it often passes through chemical reactions unchanged.
Ferricyanide is often used as an extracellular electron receptor in the study of redox reactions in cells. Ferricyanide is used because it and its reduced product, ferrocyanide, are impermeable to the plasma membrane thus any increase in ferrocyanide can be attributed to secretions of reductants or Trans Plasma Membrane Electron Transport (TPMET) activity. The conversion of ferricyanide (Fe3+) to ferrocyanide (Fe2+) can be followed spectroscopically at 535 nm with an absorption coefficient of 21600M -1cm-1.
Potassium ferricyanide is often used as what is known as a mediator in the test strips used with blood glucose meters for Blood glucose monitoring by people suffering from Diabetes. It is used in this application because it is easily reduced to potassium ferrocyanide.
