A performance evaluation of Fe 3 O 4 /Au and γ-Fe 2 O 3 /Au core/shell magnetic nanoparticles in an electrochemical DNA bioassay

Efficient Removal of Antimony(V) from Antimony Mine Wastewater by Micrometer Zero-Valent Iron

This paper investigates the effectiveness of two commercial micron zero-valent irons (mZVIs) in removing Sb(V) from antimony mine wastewater. The wastewater contains a range of complex components and heavy metal ions, including As(V), which can impact the removal efficiency of mZVI. The study aims to provide insights into actual working conditions and focuses on influencing factors and standard conditions. The results demonstrate that mZVI can reduce Sb(V) concentration in the mine wastewater from 3875.7 μg/L to below the drinking water standard of 5 μg/L within 2 h. Adding a small amount of mZVI every 30 min helps to maintain a high removal rate. The study confirms the existence of a reduction reaction by changing the atmospheric conditions of the reaction, and the addition of 1,10-phenanthroline highlights the important role of active Fe(II) in the adsorption and removal of Sb(V) by mZVI. Additionally, the paper presents an innovative experimental method of acid treatment followed by alkali treatment, which proves the interfacial reaction between mZVI and Sb(V). Overall, the study demonstrates that the removal of Sb(V) by mZVI entails a dual function of reduction and adsorption, highlighting the potential of mZVI in repairing Sb(V) in antimony mine wastewater.

Design and fabrication of magnetic Fe3O4-QSM nanoparticles loaded with ciprofloxacin as a potential antibacterial agent

In this investigation, we have synthesized magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs) coated with quince seed mucilage (QSM) as a natural, biocompatible, and biodegradable component and loaded them with ciprofloxacin (CIP) to act as an antibacterial agent. The structural, magnetic, physicochemical, colloidal, and antibacterial properties of the samples were tested using various characterization tools such as XRD, TEM, FE-SEM, VSM, FT-IR, UV-Vis, DLS, BET, and disk diffusion for testing the antibacterial properties. XRD and VSM results confirmed the fabrication of a highly pure cubic spinel phase for Fe₃O₄. The results of FE-SEM and TEM analyses indicate a spherical morphology of the magnetite NPs with a mean diameter of about 13 nm, and the results of DLS show a hydrodynamic diameter of 81.9 to 119.2 nm. The zeta potential value for the magnetic Fe₃O₄ NPs was as high as -55.2 mV, indicating suitable colloidal stability of the NPs for biological applications. The VSM results indicate a high saturation magnetization of the samples as well as a small coercivity and Remanence of the samples, which indicate the superparamagnetic property of the NPs. It was also indicated that the amount of drug adsorbed on the magnetic nanoparticles at different pH values (5.5 to 6.5) is about 85 %. It was likewise detected that the synthesized Fe₃O₄@QSM-CIP NPs possess antibacterial activity against standard strains of both Gram positive and Gram-negative bacteria (minimum inhibitory concentration = 100 ppm). The overall findings imply that the proposed magnetic NPs with antibacterial activity are promising for biomedical applications.

Influence of Spatial Dispersion on the Electromagnetic Properties of Magnetoplasmonic Nanostructures

Magnetoplasmonics based on composite nanostructures is widely used in many biomedical applications. Nanostructures, consisting of a magnetic core and a gold shell, exhibit plasmonic properties, that allow the concentration of electromagnetic energy in ultra-small volumes when used, for example, in imaging and therapy. Magnetoplasmonic nanostructures have become an indispensable tool in nanomedicine. The gold shell protects the core from oxidation and corrosion, providing a biocompatible platform for tumor imaging and cancer treatment. By adjusting the size of the core and the shell thickness, the maximum energy concentration can be shifted from the ultraviolet to the near infrared, where the depth of light penetration is maximum due to low scattering and absorption by tissues. A decrease in the thickness of the gold shell to several nanometers leads to the appearance of the quantum effect of spatial dispersion in the metal. The presence of the quantum effect can cause both a significant decrease in the level of energy concentration by plasmon particles and a shift of the maxima to the short-wavelength region, thereby reducing the expected therapeutic effect. In this study, to describe the influence of the quantum effect of spatial dispersion, we used the discrete sources method, which incorporates the generalized non-local optical response theory. This approach made it possible to account for the influence of the nonlocal effect on the optical properties of composite nanoparticles, including the impact of the asymmetry of the core-shell structure on the energy characteristics. It was found that taking spatial dispersion into account leads to a decrease in the maximum value of the concentration of electromagnetic energy up to 25%, while the blue shift can reach 15 nm.

(Nano)tag-antibody conjugates in rapid tests

Antibodies (Abs) are naturally derived materials with favorable affinity, selectivity, and fast binding kinetics to the respective antigens, which enables their application as promising recognition elements in the development of various types of biosensors/bioassays, especially in rapid tests. These tests are low-cost and easy-to-use biosensing devices with broad applications including medical or veterinary diagnostics, environmental monitoring and industrial usages such as safety and quality analysis in food, providing on-site quick monitoring of various analytes, making it possible to save analysis costs and time. To reach such features, the conjugation of Abs with various nanomaterials (NMs) as tags is necessary, which range from conventional gold nanoparticles to other nanoparticles recently introduced, where magnetic, plasmonic, photoluminescent, or multi-modal properties play a critical role in the overall performance of the analytical device. In this context, to preserve the Ab affinity and provide a rapid response with long-term storage capability, the use of efficient bio-conjugation techniques is critical. Thanks to their prominent role in rapid tests, many studies have been devoted to the design and development of Abs-NMs conjugates with various chemistries including passive adsorption, covalent coupling, and affinity interactions. In this review, we present the state-of-the-art techniques allowing various Ab-NM conjugates with a special focus on the efficiency of the developed probes to be employed in in vitro rapid tests. Challenges and future perspectives on the development of Ab-conjugated nanotags in rapid diagnostic tests are highlighted along with a survey of the progress in commercially available Ab-NM conjugates.

An ultrasensitive immunosensor based on manganese dioxide-graphene nanoplatelets and core shell Fe3O4@Au nanoparticles for label-free detection of carcinoembryonic antigen

A novel electrochemical immunosensor was developed for label-free detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a cancer biomarker. The designed immunosensor was based on CEA antibody (anti-CEA) anchored with core shell Fe₃O₄@Au nanoparticles which were immobilized on a screen-printed carbon electrode modified with manganese dioxide decorating on graphene nanoplatelets (SPCE/GNP-MnO₂/Fe₃O₄@Au-antiCEA). The SPCE was placed onto a home-made electrode holder for easy handling. The approach was based on direct binding of CEA to a fixed amount of anti-CEA on the modified electrode for the specific detection using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) monitored in a solution containing 5 mM [Fe(CN)₆^3-/4-] prepared in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at pH 7.4. The difference in signal response owing to the redox reaction of [Fe(CN)₆]^3-/4- before and after interaction with CEA was regarded as the immunosensor response corresponding directly to the CEA concentration. Under optimized conditions, the linear range of 0.001-100 ng/mL, and the detection limits of 0.10 pg/mL (LSV) and 0.30 pg/mL (EIS) were evaluated. The applicability of the immunosensor was verified by well-corresponding determination of CEA in diluted human serum samples by electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunoassay. Therefore, the proposed immunosensor could be suitable enough for a real sample analysis of CEA.

Gold-decorated magnetic nanoparticles design for hyperthermia applications and as a potential platform for their surface-functionalization

The integration of noble metal and magnetic nanoparticles with controlled structures that can couple various specific effects to the different nanocomposite in multifunctional nanosystems have been found interesting in the field of medicine. In this work, we show synthesis route to prepare small Au nanoparticles of sizes  = 3.9 ± 0.2 nm attached to Fe3O4 nanoparticle cores ( = 49.2 ± 3.5 nm) in aqueous medium for potential application as a nano-heater. Remarkably, the resulted Au decorated PEI-Fe3O4 (Au@PEI-Fe3O4) nanoparticles are able to retain bulk magnetic moment MS = 82-84 Am2/kgFe3O4, with the Verwey transition observed at TV = 98 K. In addition, the in vitro cytotoxicity analysis of the nanosystem microglial BV2 cells showed high viability (>97.5%) to concentrate up to 100 µg/mL in comparison to the control samples. In vitro heating experiments on microglial BV2 cells under an ac magnetic field (H0 = 23.87 kA/m; f = 571 kHz) yielded specific power absorption (SPA) values of SPA = 43 ± 3 and 49 ± 1 μW/cell for PEI-Fe3O4 and Au@PEI-Fe3O4 NPs, respectively. These similar intracellular SPA values imply that functionalization of the magnetic particles with Au did not change the heating efficiency, providing at the same time a more flexible platform for multifunctional functionalization.

Remote Trice Light, Temperature, and pH-actuation of Switchable Magneto-Plasmonic Nanocarriers for Combinational Photothermal and Controlled/Targeted Chemotherapies

Three magneto-plasmonic nanohybrids were synthesized using Au- and Ag-coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs)-modified dual pH- and temperature-responsive triblock copolymer of poly (butyl methacrylate-co-acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) to serve as drug carriers with potential of using in both photothermal and controlled/targeted chemotherapies. The internal superparamagnetic core gives the carriers targeted-delivery characteristics, and surface plasmon resonance-based noble metallic Au/Ag shells give them on-demand photothermal and photo-triggering release properties. To investigate the effect of coating method on the targeting property of synthesized carriers, Au NPs were attached to the magnetic core by 2 different direct/indirect procedures and the properties of the synthesized carriers including swelling ratio and thermal and optical sensitivity and switching were comprehensively investigated in 2 different buffer solutions with pH 5.5 and 7.4 at 37°C. Letrozole was used as a model anticancer drug and its loading and release properties were evaluated for the four nanocarriers. The cytotoxicity of drug-free and letrozole-loaded nanocarriers on normal L929 fibroblast and MDAMB 231 breast cancer cell lines was evaluated in absence/presence of laser radiation. The results revealed that the carriers have the potential of serving as switchable trimodal light/temperature/pH-triggered and targeted/controlled drug delivery platforms for chemophotothermal therapy.