During the last few decades, urbanization and industrialization has been increased enormously due to which chemicals have been used at a large scale. The industrial activities alter the natural flow of materials and introduce novel chemicals into the environment. Of the various sources of pollutants industrial effluents containing heavy metals pose a threat to the ecosystem. So, efforts have been made to minimize the toxification caused by heavy metals. The compounds like EDTA, DMSA, BAL etc. are being used for the chelation therapy since a very long time. Looking at the side effects caused by such compounds, the present research paper envisages the potential of gallic acid as a detoxifying agent. Gallic acid is a flavanoid which is extracted from peel of Punica granatum. The chelation of selected heavy metals (As, Hg, Cd and Pb) with gallic acid was carried out at 300 C at pH 5.8. Spectroscopic studies (Job’s method and mole ratio method) were implemented to calculate the stability constants of synthesized complexes. The metal- ligand bonding was confirmed by FTIR analysis of synthesized complexes. The present study reveals the potential of gallic acid as a bio chelator.
