Cellular compatibility of biomineralized ZnO nanoparticles based on prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs) with the size of ～100 nm were prepared via a facile biomineralization process in the template of silk fibroin (SF) peptide at room temperature. These ZnO NPs have shown the remarkable behavior of low toxicity to gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus agalactiae), gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli), and eukaryotic cells (mouse L929 fibroblasts). Bacteriological testing indicated that ZnO NPs presented a 50% inhibitory effect on Streptococcus agalactiae at the concentrations of >100 mM, whereas at the same concentrations, the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were hardly inhibited. On the other hand, a remarkable proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli was observed at the concentrations of ZnO NPs <50 mM. Moreover, the cytotoxicity test demonstrated that ZnO NPs mineralized with SF peptide possessed a low toxicity to mouse L929 fibroblasts. The SF peptide coated on the surface of ZnO NPs permitted greater adhesion and consequently greater proliferation of mouse L929 fibroblasts. Besides, from TEM micrographs of the cell ultrastructure, endocytosis of NPs into the cytoplasm can be detected and the ultrastructure of the cell underwent few changes. The cell membrane retained integrity, euchromatin dispersed homogenously inside the cytoplasm, the mitochondrial architecture remained intact, and no intracellular vacuoles were observed. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy images and selected area electron diffraction patterns of ultrathin cell sections indicated that the crystal structure of NPs was not damaged by the organelle or cytoplasm. All these observations indicated that ZnO NPs mineralized with the SF peptide possess good cytocompatibility.     

Synthesis, characterization, and intracellular uptake of carboxyl-terminated poly(amidoamine) dendrimer-stabilized iron oxide nanoparticles

We report the synthesis and characterization of a group of carboxyl-functionalized poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers of generation 3 (G3) that were used for the stabilization of superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe(3)O(4)) nanoparticles (NPs). Folic acid (FA) molecules were conjugated onto the dendrimer surfaces in an attempt to achieve specific targeted imaging of tumor cells that overexpress FA receptors using dendrimer-stabilized Fe(3)O(4) NPs. Fe(3)O(4) NPs were synthesized using controlled co-precipitation of Fe(ii) and Fe(iii) ions and the formed dendrimer-stabilized Fe(3)O(4) NPs were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The intracellular uptake of dendrimer-stabilized Fe(3)O(4) NPs was tested in vitro using KB cells (a human epithelial carcinoma cell line) that overexpress FA receptors. It appears that carboxyl-terminated PAMAM dendrimer-stabilized Fe(3)O(4) NPs can be uptaken by KB cells regardless of the repelling force between the negatively charged cells and the negatively charged particles. In the presence of a large amount of carboxyl terminal groups on the dendrimer surface, the receptor-mediated endocytosis of Fe(3)O(4) NPs stabilized by FA-modified dendrimers was not facilitated. It implies that the surface charge of dendrimer-stabilized magnetic iron oxide NPs in biological medium is an important factor influencing their biological performance.     

Magnetic nanoparticles modified with DTPA-AMC-rare earth for fluorescent and magnetic resonance dual mode imaging

In the present study, we report new water-soluble cell fluorescence imaging and contrast agents that are based on DTPA-AMC(7-amino-4-methyl coumarin)-Eu(3+) and DTPA-AMC(7-amino-4-methyl coumarin)-Gd(3+) compounds conjugated to Fe(3)O(4) NPs via a PEG-NH(2) linker. The novel Fe(3)O(4) NP-conjugates present two main advantages for cell fluorescence labelling: water solubility and targeting ability. The in vitro experiments demonstrate that water-soluble Fe(3)O(4) NPs-DBI-PEG-NH-DTPA-AMC(7-amino-4-methyl coumarin)-Eu(3+) has excellent cell permeating activity. Moreover, the relaxation rate test of Fe(3)O(4) NPs-DBI-PEG-NH-DTPA-AMC(7-amino-4-methyl coumarin)-Gd(3+) shows a higher T1 relaxation effect than traditional DTPA-Gd(3+) MRI agents. According to in vivo liver MRI experiments, better contrast of the liver was achieved after addition of Fe(3)O(4) NPs-DBI-PEG-NH-DTPA-AMC(7-amino-4-methyl coumarin)-Gd(3+). The results will provide a significant guide for researchers exploring the biomedical applications of superparamagnetic Fe(3)O(4) NPs.     

Water-soluble Fe3O4 nanoparticles with high solubility for removal of heavy-metal ions from waste water

In this contribution, we synthesized water-soluble Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles (NPs) with sufficiently high solubility (28 mg mL(-1)) and stability (at least one month) through a hydrothermal approach, and found that they exhibited excellent removal ability for heavy-metal ions from waste water. For the first time, the water-soluble Fe(3)O(4) NPs were used as adsorbents for heavy-metals removal from wastewater. It is noteworthy that the adsorption ability of the water-soluble Fe(3)O(4) NPs for Pb(2+) and Cr(6+) is stronger than water-insoluble Fe(3)O(4) NPs. Furthermore, the water-soluble Fe(3)O(4) NPs exhibited relatively high saturation magnetization (83.4 emu g(-1)), which allowed their highly-efficient magnetic separation from wastewater. The most important thing is that the water-soluble magnetite as an adsorbent can directly dissolve in water without the help of mechanical stirring or any extraneous forces, which may solve a key problem for the practical application of magnetic powders in the field of sewage purification. Moreover, the water-soluble Fe(3)O(4) NPs show a highly-efficient adsorption capacity for 10 ppm of Pb(2+) ions solution which can reach 90% within 2 minutes.     

3D nitrogen-doped graphene aerogel-supported Fe3O4 nanoparticles as efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

Three-dimensional (3D) N-doped graphene aerogel (N-GA)-supported Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles (Fe(3)O(4)/N-GAs) as efficient cathode catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are reported. The graphene hybrids exhibit an interconnected macroporous framework of graphene sheets with uniform dispersion of Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles (NPs). In studying the effects of the carbon support on the Fe(3)O(4) NPs for the ORR, we found that Fe(3)O(4)/N-GAs show a more positive onset potential, higher cathodic density, lower H(2)O(2) yield, and higher electron transfer number for the ORR in alkaline media than Fe(3)O(4) NPs supported on N-doped carbon black or N-doped graphene sheets, highlighting the importance of the 3D macropores and high specific surface area of the GA support for improving the ORR performance. Furthermore, Fe(3)O(4)/N-GAs show better durability than the commercial Pt/C catalyst.     

Synthesis of Fe3O4@phenol formaldehyde resin core-shell nanospheres loaded with Au nanoparticles as magnetic FRET nanoprobes for detection of thiols in living cells

A magnetic, sensitive, and selective fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) probe for detection of thiols in living cells was designed and prepared. The FRET probe consists of an Fe(3)O(4) core, a green-luminescent phenol formaldehyde resin (PFR) shell, and Au nanoparticles (NPs) as FRET quenching agent on the surface of the PFR shell. The Fe(3)O(4) NPs were used as the core and coated with green-luminescent PFR nanoshells by a simple hydrothermal approach. Au NPs were then loaded onto the surface of the PFR shell by electric charge absorption between Fe(3)O(4)@PFR and Au NPs after modifying the Fe(3)O(4)@PFR nanocomposites with polymers to alter the charge of the PFR shell. Thus, a FRET probe can be designed on the basis of the quenching effect of Au NPs on the fluorescence of Fe(3)O(4)@PFR nanocomposites. This magnetic and sensitive FRET probe was used to detect three kinds of primary biological thiols (glutathione, homocysteine, and cysteine) in cells. Such a multifunctional fluorescent probe shows advantages of strong magnetism for sample separation, sensitive response for sample detection, and low toxicity without injury to cellular components.     

苯并噻唑和铁氧化物纳米粒子修饰的磁性棒碳糊电极上肼的电催化氧化反应：同时检测肼和苯酚

开发了一种磁性Fe3O4纳米粒子和2-(3,4-二羟苯基)苯并噻唑(DPB)修饰的磁性棒碳糊电极(MBCPE)用于电化学检测肼.首先将DPB自组装在Fe3O4纳米粒子上,然后将此复合物吸附于设计的MBCPE上. MBCPE电极将磁性纳米粒子吸引到电极表面.所得新型电极具有高的导电性和大的有效比表面积,因而对肼的电催化氧化反应有非常大的电流响应.采用伏安法、扫描电镜、电化学阻抗谱、红外光谱和紫外-可见光谱对修饰电极进行了表征.采用伏安法研究了在磷酸盐缓冲溶液(pH=7.0)中MBCPE/Fe3O4NPs/DPB电极上肼的电化学行为.作为电化学传感器, MBCPE/Fe3O4NPs/DPB电极对肼氧化反应表现出极高的电催化活性.在DPB存在下,肼的氧化电势下降,但其催化电流增加.电催化电流与肼浓度在0.1–0.4和0.7–12.0μmol/L二个区间内表现出线性关系,检测限为18.0 nmol/L.另外,研究了MBCPE/Fe3O4NPs/DPB电极同时检测肼和苯酚的性能.伏安实验结果显示,苯酚的线性区域为100–470μmol/L,检测限为24.3μmol/L.采用此电极检测了水样品中的肼和苯酚.     

Size-dependent peroxidase-like catalytic activity of Fe3O4 nanoparticles

Peroxidase-like catalytic properties of Fe3O4 nanoparficles （NPs） with three different sizes, synthesized by chemical coprecipitation and sol-gel methods, were investigated by UV-vis spectrum analysis. By comparing Fe3O4 NPs with average diameters of 11, 20, and 150 nm, we found that the catalytic activity increases with the reduced nanoparticle size. The electrochemical method to characterize the catalytic activity of Fe3O4 NPs using the response currents of the reaction product and substrate was also developed.     

Fe_3O_4纳米粒子与慢病毒载体共同感染内皮祖细胞的促血管新生和MRI示踪的应用

采用化学共沉淀法制备了柠檬酸钠修饰Fe_3O_4纳米粒子(NPs),使用胎牛血清(FBS)改善Fe_3O_4NPs的分散性.实验表明Fe_3O_4NPs尺寸均匀,且具有良好的稳定性,FBS浓度小于5%(体积分数)时,Fe_3O_4NPs无聚集沉淀;在300 K下,饱和磁化强度达到74.86×10~(-3)A·m~2/g(74.86 emu/g);核磁共振T2序列成像时,75μg/m L Fe_3O_4NPs与慢病毒载体(LV)共同标记内皮祖细胞(EPCs)成像效果良好;而且EPCs具有稳定过表达目的基因血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)的能力.利用Fe_3O_4NPs与LV共同感染EPCs,可有效促进大鼠血管生成.说明修饰后的EPCs兼具核磁共振成像(MRI)示踪和促血管生成双重功能.     

Synthesis and characterization of a novel supported N-piperidine sulfamic acid on magnetic nanoparticles as a nanocatalyst for synthesis of pyrimido[4,5-c]pyridazines derivatives under ambient conditions and theoretical study on the mechanism using a DFT method

Research on Chemical Intermediates - In this study, magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) were employed as good support for N-piperidine sulfamic acid to prepare a novel nanocatalyst...     

羧甲基壳聚糖磁性纳米粒子的合成及应用

通过合成油酸修饰的Fe3O4纳米粒子和羧甲基壳聚糖直接包埋油酸修饰的Fe3O4纳米粒子的两步合成法制备了羧甲基壳聚糖磁性纳米粒子。采用透射电子显微镜、傅里叶变换红外光谱、振动样品磁强计和同步热分析测试技术对制备的羧甲基壳聚糖磁性纳米粒子进行了表征。所得磁性纳米粒子呈规则球形,粒径约为10 nm;表面含羧基,且具有很好的顺磁性和稳定性。考察了羧甲基壳聚糖磁性纳米粒子对阿霉素的载药量和对阿霉素在磷酸盐缓冲溶液中的缓释性能。结果表明,磁性纳米粒子对阿霉素展示了较高的载药量(91.8 mg/g),结合了阿霉素的磁性复合物对阿霉素的缓释作用明显,说明制备的羧甲基壳聚糖磁性纳米粒子有望作为治疗肿瘤的纳米磁靶向药物输送载体。     

Ultrasmall c(RGDyK)-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles and their specific targeting to integrin alpha(v)beta3-rich tumor cells

We report a direct synthesis of ultrasmall c(RGDyK) peptide-coated Fe3O4 NPs (<10 nm in hydrodynamic diameter) and demonstrate their in vivo tumor-specific targeting capability. The Fe3O4 NPs are synthesized by thermal decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl in the presence of 4-methylcatechol (4-MC), and the peptide is coupled to the nanoparticles through 4-MC via Mannich reaction. The c(RGDyK)-MC-Fe3O4 NPs have an overall diameter of approximately 8.4 nm and are stable in physiological conditions. When administrated intravenously, these c(RGDyK)-MC-Fe3O4 NPs accumulate preferentially in the integrin alphavbeta3-rich tumor area, which are readily tracked by MRI.     

Magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles coupled with a fluorescent Eu complex for dual imaging applications

Magnetic 8 nm Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and modified with dopamine (DPA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) diacid. The water soluble Fe(3)O(4)-DPA-PEG NPs were then conjugated with the fluorescent Eu(iii) complex of tris(dibenzoylmethane)-5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline (BMAP), giving an Fe(3)O(4)-DPA-PEG-BMAP-Eu NP conjugate. The conjugate was both colloidally and chemically stable in phosphate buffered solutions and could be used as a probe for magnetic resonance and fluorescent imaging.     

Mixed hemimicelles solid-phase extraction based on cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-coated nano-magnets Fe3O4 for the determination of chlorophenols in environmental water samples coupled with liquid chromatography/spectrophotometry detection

Mixed hemimicelles solid-phase extraction (SPE) based on cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-coated nano-magnets Fe3O4 was investigated for the preconcentration of four chlorophenols (CPs) in environmental water samples prior to HPLC-spectrophotometry determination in this paper. By the rapid isolating (about 5 min) of Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) through placing a Nd-Fe-B strong magnet on the bottom of beaker, the time-consuming preconcentration process of loading large volume sample in conversional SPE method with a column can be avoided. The unique properties of Fe3O4 NPs such as high surface area and strong magnetism were utilized adequately in the SPE process. This novel separation method produced a high preconcentration rate and factor. A comprehensive study of the adsorption conditions such as the Fe3O4 NPs zeta-potential, CTAB added amounts, pH value, standing time and maximal extraction volume was also presented. Under optimized conditions, four analytes of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP), 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) and pentachlorophenol (PCP) were quantitatively extracted. The method was then used to determine four CPs in five real environmental water samples. High concentration factors (700) were achieved for each of the analytes, with observed detection limits ranging between 0.11 and 0.15 microg L(-1). The accuracy of method was evaluated by recovery measurements on spiked samples. Good recovery results (83-98%) with satisfactory relative standard deviation (RSD) were achieved. It is important to note that satisfactory preconcentration factors and extraction recoveries for the four CPs were obtained with only a little amount of Fe3O4 NPs (0.1g) and CTAB (60 mg). To the best of our knowledge, this was the first time a mixed hemimicelles SPE method based on Fe3O4 NPs magnetic separation had been used for the pretreatment of environmental water samples.     

Antimicrobial and Photocatalytic Degradation Activities of Chitosan-coated Magnetite Nanocomposite

Journal of Cluster Science - In this work, iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) were modified by chitosan (CS). Fe3O4 NPs were synthesized by co-precipitation method and their antimicrobial...     

Preparation of silica-magnetite nanoparticle mixed hemimicelle sorbents for extraction of several typical phenolic compounds from environmental water samples

A novel type of superparamagnetic silica-coated (Fe3O4/SiO2 core/shell) magnetite nanoparticle modified by surfactants has been successfully synthesized and was applied as an effective sorbent material for the pre-concentration of several typical phenolic compounds (bisphenol A (BPA), 4-tert-octylphenol (4-OP) and 4-n-nonylphenol (4-NP)) from environmental water samples. Compared with pure magnetic particles, a thin and dense silica layer would protect the iron oxide core from leaching out in acidic conditions. In order to enhance their adsorptive tendency towards organic compounds, cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) or cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) were added, which adsorbed on the surface of the Fe3O4/SiO2 nanoparticles (Fe3O4/SiO2 NPs) and formed mixed hemimicelles. Main factors affecting the adsolubilization of analytes were optimized and comparative study on the use of CPC and CTAB-coated Fe3O4/SiO2 NPs mixed hemimicelles-based SPE was also carried out. CPC-coated Fe3O4/SiO2 NPs system was selected due to lower elution volume required and more effective adsorption of the target compounds. Under selected conditions, concentration factor of 1600 was achieved by using this method to extract 800 mL of different environmental water samples. The detection limits obtained for BPA, 4-OP and 4-NP with HPLC-FLD were 7, 14, and 20 ng/L, respectively.     

Multifunctional Fe3O4/TaO(x) core/shell nanoparticles for simultaneous magnetic resonance imaging and X-ray computed tomography

Multimodal imaging is highly desirable for accurate diagnosis because it can provide complementary information from each imaging modality. In this study, a sol-gel reaction of tantalum(V) ethoxide in a microemulsion containing Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles (NPs) was used to synthesize multifunctional Fe(3)O(4)/TaO(x) core/shell NPs, which were biocompatible and exhibited a prolonged circulation time. When the NPs were intravenously injected, the tumor-associated vessel was observed using computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed the high and low vascular regions of the tumor.     

Langmuir and Gibbs magnetite NP layers at the air/water interface

The interfacial properties of Fe(3)O(4)@MEO(2)MA(90)-co-OEGMA(10) NPs, recently developed and described as promising nanotools for biomedical applications, have been investigated at the air/water interface. These Fe(3)O(4) NPs, capped with catechol-terminated random copolymer brushes of 2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethyl methacrylate (MEO(2)MA) and oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (OEGMA), with molar fractions of 90% and 10%, respectively, proved to be surface active. Surface tension measurements of aqueous dispersions of the NPs showed that the adsorption of the NPs at the air/water interface is time- and concentration-dependent. These NPs do not behave as classical amphiphiles. Once adsorbed at the air/water interface, they do not exchange with NPs in bulk, but they are trapped at the interface. This means that all NPs from the bulk adsorb to the interface until reaching maximum coverage of the interface, which corresponds to values between 6 × 10(-4) and 8 × 10(-4) mg/cm(2) and a critical equilibrium surface tension of ～47 mN/m. Moreover, Langmuir layers of Fe(3)O(4)@MEO(2)MA(90)-co-OEGMA(10) NPs have been investigated by measuring surface pressure-area compression-expansion isotherms and in situ X-ray fluorescence spectra. The compression-expansion isotherms showed a plateau region above a critical surface pressure of ～25 mN/m and a pronounced hysteresis. By using a special one-barrier Langmuir trough equipped with two surface pressure microbalances, we have shown that the NPs are squeezed out from the interface into the aqueous subphase, and they readsorb on the other side of the barrier. The results have been supported by TEM as well as AFM experiments of transferred Langmuir-Schaefer films on solid supports. This study shows the ability of Fe(3)O(4)@MEO(2)MA(90)-co-OEGMA(10) NPs to transfer from hydrophilic media (an aqueous solution) to the hydrophobic/hydrophilic interface (air/water interface) and back to the hydrophilic media. This behavior is very promising, opening studies of their ability to cross biological membranes.     

Highly ordered self-assembly with large area of Fe3O4 nanoparticles and the magnetic properties

Monodisperse Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) with narrow size distribution are synthesized by a high-temperature solution-phase method. The diameter of the as-synthesized NPs is tuned from 2 to 14 nm by varying the reaction conditions. Highly ordered superlattice structures of the Fe3O4 NPs with areas extending over 0.8 microm x 0.7 microm have been successfully obtained. The magnetic properties are investigated in their different states, such as in the solid state and diluted in wax with different concentrations. Some magnetic properties enhanced by increasing interparticle distances, such as the remanent magnetization and coercive field at low temperature, were noticed. Furthermore, we also observed that the saturation magnetization changed with temperature as expected. The preliminary explanation for the properties mentioned above is proposed.     

pH controlled release of chromone from chromone-Fe3O4 nanoparticles

We report a new strategy for coupling chromone to Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The chromone-Fe3O4 NP conjugate shows a dramatic increase in chromone solubility in cell culture medium from less than 2.5 to 633 microg/ml, leading to the enhanced chromone uptake by HeLa cells. Chromone can be released at low pH and as a result, the chromone-Fe3O4 conjugate is much more efficient in inhibiting the HeLa cell proliferation. Such chromone-Fe3O4 NPs are promising as a powerful multifunctional delivery system for both chromone-based diagnostic and therapeutic applications.