Nanotheranostic fabrication of iron oxide for rapid photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes and antifungal potential

This research work includes the fabrication of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₂O₃ NPs) by green construction approach using Wisteria sinensis leaves extract. Due to its eco-friendly approach, the synthesis of iron oxide NPs (Fe₂O₃ NPs) using various plant sources, such as plant parts, and microbial cells have gained a lot of attention in recent years. Cost-effectiveness and ease of availability make Wisteria sinensis leaves extract a potential candidate for the construction of iron oxide NPs. The various key features like biocompatibility, non-toxicity capping, and stabilizing agents present in biological sources are advantageous for usage in a variety of applications. The phytoconstituents present in the leaf extract of Wisteria sinensis serve as reducing and stabilizing agents. The biologically fabricated (Fe₂O₃ NPs) were analyzed using FT-IR, XRD, UV–vis spectroscopy, and SEM. In the present work, the antioxidant and photocatalytic dye degradation efficiency of Fe₂O₃ NPs has been studied. The dye degradation efficiency of methylene blue dye was found to be 87% at 180 min upon exposure to sunlight. The capacity of Fe₂O₃ NPs to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate free radicals (DPPH) was examined using a UV–Vis spectrophotometer. The study compared the radical scavenging activity (RSA) of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles (NPs) with that of the standard antioxidant ascorbic acid. The results demonstrated that Fe₂O₃ NPs have a greater ability to scavenge radicals than ascorbic acid. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Fe₂O₃ NPs was observed to range from 0.12 to 0.17. Furthermore, Fe₂O₃ NPs displayed the highest antifungal activity, with an inhibition zone of 26.8 mm against F. oxysporum. These findings suggest that the biologically synthesized Fe₂O₃ NPs possess potent antimicrobial and dye degradation properties.     

One-pot synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles assembled on polysiloxane rod and their response to magnetic field

Rod-like assembled magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully synthesized in a one-pot process using a polysiloxane template derived from a dialkoxysilane. The assembly was constructed using the thiol-ene click reaction between thiol groups on the polysiloxane chain and allyl groups on Fe₃O₄ NPs. The thiol-containing polysiloxane chain and the allyl-containing Fe₃O₄ NPs were synthesized by the hydrolysis–condensation of 3-mercaptopropyl(dimethoxy)methylsilane and iron (III) allylacetylacetonate, respectively. Fe₃O₄ NPs of around 5 nm were uniformly dispersed on the siloxane rods and exhibited neither remanent magnetization nor coercivity. A fluid containing a dispersion of rod-like assembled Fe₃O₄ NPs showed yield stress even without the application of an external magnetic field, whereas spherical Fe₃O₄ NPs exhibited no yield stress. The rod-like assembled Fe₃O₄ NPs on anisotropic siloxane clearly exhibited typical magnetorheological behavior.     

Fertility and Iron Bioaccumulation in Drosophila melanogaster Fed with Magnetite Nanoparticles Using a Validated Method

Research on nanomaterial exposure-related health risks is still quite limited; this includes standardizing methods for measuring metals in living organisms. Thus, this study validated an atomic absorption spectrophotometry method to determine fertility and bioaccumulated iron content in Drosophila melanogaster flies after feeding them magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄NPs) dosed in a culture medium (100, 250, 500, and 1000 mg kg⁻¹). Some NPs were also coated with chitosan to compare iron assimilation. Considering both accuracy and precision, results showed the method was optimal for concentrations greater than 20 mg L⁻¹. Recovery values were considered optimum within the 95–105% range. Regarding fertility, offspring for each coated and non-coated NPs concentration decreased in relation to the control group. Flies exposed to 100 mg L⁻¹ of coated NPs presented the lowest fertility level and highest bioaccumulation factor. Despite an association between iron bioaccumulation and NPs concentration, the 500 mg L⁻¹ dose of coated and non-coated NPs showed similar iron concentrations to those of the control group. Thus, Drosophila flies’ fertility decreased after NPs exposure, while iron bioaccumulation was related to NPs concentration and coating. We determined this method can overcome sample limitations and biological matrix-associated heterogeneity, thus allowing for bioaccumulated iron detection regardless of exposure to coated or non-coated magnetite NPs, meaning this protocol could be applicable with any type of iron NPs.     

Efficiency of Fe3O4 Nanoparticles with Different Pretreatments for Enhancing Biogas Yield of Macroalgae Ulva intestinalis Linnaeus

In this work, different pretreatment methods for algae proved to be very effective in improving cell wall dissociation for biogas production. In this study, the Ulva intestinalis Linnaeus (U. intestinalis) has been exposed to individual pretreatments of (ultrasonic, ozone, microwave, and green synthesized Fe₃O₄) and in a combination of the first three mentioned pretreatments methods with magnetite (Fe₃O₄) NPs, (ultrasonic-Fe₃O₄, ozone-Fe₃O₄ and microwave-Fe₃O₄) in different treatment times. Moreover, the green synthesized Fe₃O₄ NPs has been confirmed by FTIR, TEM, XRD, SEM, EDEX, PSA and BET. The maximum biogas production of 179 and 206 mL/g VS have been attained when U. intestinalis has been treated with ultrasonic only and when combined microwave with Fe₃O₄ respectively, where sediment were used as inoculum in all pretreatments. From the obtained results, green Fe₃O₄ NPs enhanced the microwave (MW) treatment to produce a higher biogas yield (206 mL/g VS) when compared with individual MW (84 mL/g VS). The modified Gompertz model (R² = 0.996 was appropriate model to match the calculated biogas production and could be used more practically to distinguish the kinetics of the anaerobic digestion (AD) period. The assessment of XRD, SEM and FTIR discovered the influence of different treatment techniques on the cell wall structure of U. intestinalis.     

Selective enrichment of catecholamines using iron oxide nanoparticles followed by CE with UV detection

This study examines the use of unmodified magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs) for selective extraction and enrichment of the catecholamines dopamine (DA), noradrenaline (NE), and adrenaline (E), prior to analysis using capillary electrophoresis with UV detection. Coordination between Fe³⁺ on‐the‐surface Fe₃O₄ NPs and the catechol moiety of catecholamines enables Fe₃O₄ NPs to capture catecholamines from an aqueous solution. We obtained maximum loading of catecholamines on the NP surface by adjusting the pH of the solution to 7.0. In addition, catecholamine loading on the Fe₃O₄ NPs increased in conjunction with NP concentrations. H₃PO₄ was found to be efficient for the removal of adsorbed catecholamines on the NP surface. Adding 1.2% poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) to the background electrolyte resulted in a baseline separation of the liberated catecholamines within 20 min. Under optimal extraction and separation conditions, the limit of detections at a S/N ratio of 3 for E, NE, and DA were 9, 8, and 10 nM, respectively. Significantly, the combination of a phenylboronate‐containing spin column and the proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of NE and DA in human urine and NE in Portulaca oleracea L. leaves.     

Biogenic synthesis of husked rice-shaped iron oxide nanoparticles using coconut pulp (Cocos nucifera L.) extract for photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B dye and their in vitro antibacterial and anticancer activity

In this present study, photocatalytic and in-vitro biological properties of biogenic preparation of husked rice-shaped iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₂O₃ NPs) are investigated. Fe₂O₃ NPs have been prepared by the reduction of iron chloride (FeCl₃) using coconut pulp (Cocos nucifera L.) extract. The Fe₂O₃ NPs were characterized by various analytical techniques such as FE-SEM, TEM, XRD, FT-IR, TGA, VSM, PL, and UV-DRS. Based on the characterization results, the as-prepared Fe₂O₃ NPs are in husked rice shape and exhibit rhombohedral crystal phase and also show an excellent stability. The prepared Fe₂O₃ NPs was investigated as a catalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B solution. The photocatalytic results indicated that the Fe₂O₃ NPs catalyst possesses good activity with efficiency of 92% after 50 min under visible-light irradiation. In addition, the Fe₂O₃ NPs showed good antibacterial and anticancer properties against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive, Staphylococcus aureus and HepG2 cell lines, resulting in effective antibacterial and anticancer activity. The prepared Fe₂O₃ NPs, thus, proved to be a potential material for environmental remediation and biological applications.     

Genotoxic Evaluation of Fe3O4 Nanoparticles in Different Three Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Genotypes to Explore the Stress-Resistant Molecules

Sustainable agricultural practices are still essential due to soil degradation and crop losses. Recently, the relationship between plants and nanoparticles (NPs) attracted scientists’ attention, especially for applications in agricultural production as nanonutrition. Therefore, the present research was carried out to investigate the effect of Fe₃O₄ NPs at low concentrations (0, 1, 10, and 20 mg/L) on three genotypes of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seedlings grown in hydroponic conditions. Significant increases in seedling growth, enhanced chlorophyll quality and quantity, and two miRNA expression levels were observed. Additionally, increased genotoxicity was observed in seedlings grown with NPs. Generally, Fe₃O₄ NPs at low concentrations could be successfully used as nanonutrition for increasing barley photosynthetic efficiency with consequently enhanced yield. These results are important for a better understanding of the potential impact of Fe₃O₄ NPs at low concentrations in agricultural crops and the potential of these NPs as nanonutrition for barley growth and yield enhancement. Future studies are needed to investigate the effect of these NPs on the expression of resistance-related genes and chlorophyll synthesis-related gene expression in treated barley seedlings.     

Fluorescence assay of catecholamines based on the inhibition of peroxidase-like activity of magnetite nanoparticles

We report a fluorescence approach for the highly selective and sensitive detection of catecholamines using magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs) in the presence of Amplex UltraRed (AUR) and H₂O₂. Fe₃O₄ NPs catalyze H₂O₂-mediated oxidation of AUR. The resulting product fluoresces (excitation/emission maxima, ca. 568/587 nm) more strongly, relative to AUR. When catecholamines bind to Fe₃O₄, the complexes that are formed induce decreased activity of Fe₃O₄ NPs, mediated through the coordination between Fe³⁺ on the NP surface and the catechol moiety of catecholamines. As a result, Fe₃O₄ NPs-catalyzed H₂O₂-mediated oxidation of AUR is inhibited by catecholamines. The limits of detection for dopamine (DA), l-DOPA, norepinephrine, and epinephrine were 3 nM, 3 nM, 3 nM, and 6 nM, respectively. The Fe₃O₄ NPs-H₂O₂-AUR probe exhibited high selectivity (>1000-fold) toward catecholamines over other tested biomolecules that commonly exist in urine. Four catecholamines had similar sensitivity because the inhibition of the Fe₃O₄ NPs activity relies on the presence of the catechol moiety. This approach also allowed the determination of tyrosinase activity because tyrosinase catalyzes the conversion of l-tyrosine to l-DOPA. We validated the practicality of the use of the Fe₃O₄ NPs-H₂O₂-AUR probe for the determination of the concentrations of DA in urine samples.     

Design and development of bioactive α-hydroxy carboxylate group modified MnFe2O4 nanoparticle: Comparative fluorescence study,magnetism and DNA nuclease activity

Three new α-hydroxy carboxylate group functionalized MnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) have been developed to explore the microscopic origin of ligand modified fluorescence and magnetic properties of nearly monodispersed MnFe₂O₄ NPs. The surface functionalization has been carried out with three small organic ligands (tartrate, malate, and citrate) having different number of α-hydroxy carboxylate functional group along with steric effect. Detailed study unveils that α-hydroxy carboxylate moiety of the ligands plays key role to generate intrinsic fluorescence in functionalized MnFe₂O₄ NPs through the activation of ligand to metal charge transfer transitions, associated with ligand–Mn²⁺/Fe³⁺ interactions along with d–d transition corresponding to d–orbital energy level splitting of Fe³⁺ ions on NP surface. Further, MnFe₂O₄ NPs show a maximum 140.88% increase in coercivity and 97.95% decrease in magnetization compared to its bare one upon functionalization. The ligands that induce smallest crystal field splitting of d–orbital energy level of transition metal ions are found to result in strongest ferrimagnetic activation of the NPs. Finally, our developed tartrate functionalized MnFe₂O₄ (T-MnFe₂O₄) NPs have been utilized for studying DNA binding interaction and nuclease activity for stimulating their beneficial activities toward diverse biomedical applications. The spectroscopic measurements indicate that T-MnFe₂O₄ NPs bind calf thymus DNA by intercalative mode. The ability of T-MnFe₂O₄ NPs to induce DNA cleavage was studied by gel electrophoresis technique where the complex is found to promote the cleavage of pBR322 plasmid DNA from the super coiled form I to linear coiled form II and nicked coiled form III with good efficiency.     

Template free solvothermal synthesis of single crystal magnetic Fe3O4 hollow spheres,their interaction with bovine serum albumin and antibacterial activities

Uniform sized single crystal magnetic Fe₃O₄ hollow spheres (MFHS) have been synthesized through simple solvothermal method using ferric chloride hexahydrate and 1,3-propanediamine. The reaction time and the amount of 1,3-propanediamine play major roles in the formation of magnetic Fe₃O₄ hollow spheres. The synthesized products are characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry techniques. The crystalline Fe₃O₄ materials are composed of well-aligned hollow sphere magnetite nanoparticles and exhibit high saturation magnetization of 57.9?emu/g and a remnant magnetization of 17.6?emu/g at room temperature. MFHS interact strongly with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and brings out considerable conformational changes in BSA as evident from the UV–vis absorption, fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic studies pertaining to the interaction of synthesized MFHS and BSA. The prepared MFHS effectively inhibit the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.     

Investigation of anti-human ovarian cancer effects of decorated Au nanoparticles on Thymbra spicata extract modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles

This work describes an eco-friendly approach for in situ immobilization of Au nanoparticles on the surface of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, with the help of Thymbra spicata extract and ultrasound irradiations, without using any toxic reducing and capping agents. The combination of Fe₃O₄ NPs and Au NPs in one hybrid nanostructure (Fe₃O₄@Thymbra spicata/Au NPs) represents a promising strategy for targeted biomedical applications. The structure, morphology, and physicochemical properties were characterized by various analytical techniques such as fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). MTT assay was used on common ovarian cancer cell lines i.e., SW-626, PA-1, and SK-OV-3 to survey the cytotoxicity and anti-ovarian cancer effects of Fe₃O₄@Thymbra spicata/Au NPs. The best results of cytotoxicity and anti-ovarian cancer properties were seen in the concentration of 1000 µg/mL. Fe₃O₄@ Thymbra spicata/Au NPs had very low cell viability and high anti-ovarian cancer activities dose-dependently against PA-1, SW-626, and SK-OV-3 cell lines without any cytotoxicity on the normal cell line (HUVEC). For investigating the antioxidant properties of Fe₃O₄@ Thymbra spicata/Au NPs, the DPPH test was used in the presence of butylated hydroxytoluene as the positive control. Fe₃O₄@Thymbra spicata/Au NPs inhibited half of the DPPH molecules in the concentration of 107 µg/mL. Maybe significant anti-human ovarian cancer potentials of Fe₃O₄@Thymbra spicata/Au NPs against common human ovarian cancer cell lines are linked to their antioxidant activities. After confirming the above results in the clinical trial researches, this formulation can be administrated for the treatment of several types of human ovarian cancers in humans.     

Signal amplification for DNA detection based on the HRP-functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles

An electrochemical approach for the sensitive detection of sequence-specific DNA has been developed. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) assembled on the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) were utilized as signal amplification sources. High-content HRP was adsorbed on the Fe₃O₄ NPs via layer-by-layer (LbL) technique to prepare HRP-functionalized Fe₃O₄ NPs. Signal probe and diluting probe were then immobilized on the HRP-functionalized Fe₃O₄ NPs through the bridge of Au NPs. Thereafter, the resulting DNA-Au-HRP-Fe₃O₄ (DAHF) bioconjugates were successfully anchored to the gold nanofilm (GNF) modified electrode surface for the construction of sandwich-type electrochemical DNA biosensor. The electrochemical behaviors of the prepared biosensor had been investigated by the cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (i-t), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Under optimal conditions, the proposed strategy could detect the target DNA down to the level of 0.7 fmol with a dynamic range spanning 4 orders of magnitude and exhibited excellent discrimination to two-base mismatched DNA and non-complementary DNA sequences.     

Synthesis of tri-layer hybrid microspheres with magnetic core and functional polymer shell

Tri-layer magnetite/silica/poly(divinylbenzene) (Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/PDVB) core-shell hybrid microspheres were prepared by distillation precipitation polymerization of divinylbenzene (DVB) in the presence of magnetite/3-(methacryloxyl)propyl trimethoxysilane (MPS) modified silica core-shell particles as seeds. The polymerization of DVB was performed in neat acetonitrile with 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator to coat magnetite/MPS-modified silica particles through the capture of DVB oligomers with the aid of vinyl groups on the surface of inorganic seeds in absence of any stabilizer or surfactant. Other magnetite/silica/polymer tri-layer hybrid particles, such as magnetite/silica/poly(ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate) (Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/PEGDMA) and magnetite/silica/poly(ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) (Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/P(EGDMA-co-MAA)) with various polarity and functionality, were also prepared by this procedure. Magnetite/silica/poly(N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) (Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/P(MBAAm-co-MAA)) were synthesized with unmodified magnetite/silica particles as seeds. The resultant tri-layer hybrid particles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), dynamic light scattering, and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM).     

Extraction of trace amounts of mercury with sodium dodecyle sulphate-coated magnetite nanoparticles and its determination by flow injection inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry

A new method for solid-phase extraction and preconcentration of trace amounts Hg(II) from environmental samples was developed by using sodium dodecyle sulphate-coated magnetite nanoparticles (SDS-coated Fe₃O₄ NPs) as a new extractant. The procedure is based on the adsorption of the analyte, as mercury-Michler's thioketone [Hg₂(TMK)₄]²⁺ complex on the negatively charged surface of the SDS-coated Fe₃O₄ NPs and then elution of the preconcentrated mercury from the surface of the SDS-coated Fe₃O₄ NPs prior to its determination by flow injection inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. The effects of pH, TMK concentration, SDS and Fe₃O₄ NPs amounts, eluent type, sample volume and interfering ions on the recovery of the analyte were investigated. Under optimized conditions, the calibration curve was linear in the range of 0.2-100 ng mL⁻¹ with r² = 0.9994 (n = 8). The limit of detection for Hg(II) determination was 0.04 ng mL⁻¹. Also, relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) for the determination of 2 and 50 ng mL⁻¹ of Hg(II) was 5.2 and 4.7% (n = 6), respectively. Due to the quantitative extraction of Hg(II) from 1000 mL of the sample solution an enhancement factor as large as 1230-fold can be obtained. The proposed method has been validated using a certified reference materials, and also the method has been applied successfully for the determination of Hg(II) in aqueous samples.     

Iron oxide nanoparticles coated with green tea extract as a novel magnetite reductant and stabilizer sorbent for silver ions: Synthetic application of Fe3O4@green tea/Ag nanoparticles as magnetically separable and reusable nanocatalyst for reduction of 4‐nitrophenol

Green tea extract having many phenolic hydroxyl and carbonyl functional groups in its molecular framework can be used in the modification of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. Moreover, the feasibility of complexation of polyphenols with silver ions in aqueous solution can improve the surface properties and capacity of the Fe₃O₄@green tea extract nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@GTE NPs) for sorption and reduction of silver ions. Therefore, the novel Fe₃O₄@GTE NPs nano‐sorbent has potential ability as both reducing and stabilizing agent for immobilization of silver nanoparticles to make a novel magnetic silver nanocatalyst (Fe₃O₄@GTE/Ag NPs). Inductively coupled plasma analysis, transmission and scanning electron microscopies, energy‐dispersive X‐ray and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, and vibrating sample magnetometry were used to characterize the catalyst. Fe₃O₄@GTE/Ag NPs shows high catalytic activity as a recyclable nanocatalyst for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol at room temperature.     

First Report of Fruit Rot of Cherry and Its Control Using Fe2O3 Nanoparticles Synthesized in Calotropis procera

Cherry is a fleshy drupe, and it is grown in temperate regions of the world. It is perishable, and several biotic and abiotic factors affect its yield. During April–May 2021, a severe fruit rot of cherry was observed in Swat and adjacent areas. Diseased fruit samples were collected, and the disease-causing pathogen was isolated on PDA. Subsequent morphological, microscopic, and molecular analyses identified the isolated pathogen as Aspergillus flavus. For the control of the fruit rot disease of cherry, iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₂O₃ NPs) were synthesized in the leaf extract of Calotropis procera and characterized. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of synthesized Fe₂O₃ NPs showed the presence of capping and stabilizing agents such as alcohols, aldehydes, and halo compounds. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis verified the form and size (32 nm) of Fe₂O₃ NPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the spinal-shaped morphology of synthesized Fe₂O₃ NPs while X-ray diffraction (EDX) analysis displayed the occurrence of main elements in the samples. After successful preparation and characterization of NPs, their antifungal activity against A. flavus was determined by poison technique. Based on in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity analyses, it was observed that 1.0 mg/mL concentration of Fe₂O₃ can effectively inhibit the growth of fungal mycelia and decrease the incidence of fruit rot of cherry. The results confirmed ecofriendly fungicidal role of Fe₂O₃ and suggested that their large-scale application in the field to replace toxic chemical fungicides.     

Synthesis of monodispersed Fe3O4@C core/shell nanoparticles

We report a facile method to synthesize dispersed Fe₃O₄@C nanoparticles（NPs）. Fe₃O₄ NPs were firstly prepared via the high temperature diol thermal decomposition method. Fe₃O₄@C NPs were fabricated using glucose as a carbon source by hydrothermal process. The obtained products were characterized by X-ray diffraction（XRD）, transmission electron microscopy（TEM）, vibrating sample magnetometer（VSM） and Raman spectra. The results indicate that the original shapes and magnetic property of Fe₃O₄ NPs can be well preserved. The magnetic particles are well dispersed in the carbon matrix. This strategy would provide an efficient approach for existing applications in Li-ion batteries and drug delivery. Meanwhile, it offers the raw materials to assemble future functional nanometer and micrometer superstructures.     

Advanced Sensing of Antibiotics with Magnetic Gold Nanocomposite: Electrochemical Detection of Chloramphenicol

The sensing and accurate determination of antibiotics in various environments represents a big challenge, mainly owing to their widespread use in medicine, veterinary practice, and other fields. Therefore, a new, simple electrochemical sensor for the detection of antibiotic chloramphenicol (CAP) has been developed in this work. The amplification strategy of the sensor is based on the application of magnetite nanostructures stabilized with carboxymethyl cellulose (Fe₃O₄‐CMC) and decorated with nanometer‐sized Au nanoparticles (NPs) (Fe₃O₄‐CMC@Au). In this case, CMC serves as a stabilizing agent, preventing the aggregation of Fe₃O₄ NPs, and hence, enabling the kinetic barrier for electron transport to be overcome, and the Au NPs serve as an electron‐conducting tunnel for better electron transport. As a proof of concept, the developed nanosensor is used for the detection of CAP in human urine samples, giving a recovery value of around 97 %, which indicates the high accuracy of the as‐prepared nanosensor.     

Removal of acidic interferences in multi-pesticides residue analysis of fruits using modified magnetic nanoparticles prior to determination via ultra-HPLC-MS/MS

The authors describe magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles modified with 3-(N,N-diethylamino) propyltrimethoxysilane (Fe₃O₄-PSA NPs) for use as a sorbent for dispersive solid phase extraction of pesticide residues. The Fe₃O₄-PSA NPs were prepared by silanizing Fe₃O₄ NPs and modifying them with 3-(N,N-diethylamino) propyltrimethoxysilane. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy, FTIR and zeta potential measurements were employed to characterize the modified NPs. They were then used as an adsorbent to remove acidic interferences (such as malic acid and succinic acid), which are major interferences in LC-MS/MS analysis in causing ion suppression in the MS spectra of pesticides. In addition, graphitized carbon black (GCB) was used as an adsorbent to eliminate interferences by pigments. The use of Fe₃O₄-PSA NPs can replace time-consuming centrifugation as used in the so-called QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) method. This improvement is particularly significant in high-throughput analysis. Following the optimization of the quantities of Fe₃O₄-PSA NPs and GCB, the method was applied to the determination of 56 pesticides in (spiked) fruits (apple, kiwi, orange and pear) by ultra-HPLC-MS/MS. The analytical ranges typically extend from 1 to 200 ng∙mL⁻¹, and recoveries range from 60.2 to 130 % at different concentrations of all four kinds of fruits. The LOQs for the pesticides are 10 ng∙kg⁻¹, which makes the method a viable tool for pesticide monitoring in fruits.

Magnetite nanoparticles modified with 3-(N,N-diethylamino) propyltrimethoxysilane (Fe₃O₄-PSA NPs) are shown to be useful materials for removal of acidid interferents from sample matrices. Their use can replace time-consuming centrifugation as used in the traditional QuEChERS method.

     

Facile deposition of gold nanoparticles on core–shell Fe3O4@polydopamine as recyclable nanocatalyst

A simple and green method for the controllable synthesis of core–shell Fe₃O₄ polydopamine nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@PDA NPs) with tunable shell thickness and their application as a recyclable nanocatalyst support is presented. Magnetite Fe₃O₄ NPs formed in a one-pot process by the hydrothermal approach with a diameter of ∼240 nm were coated with a polydopamine shell layer with a tunable thickness of 15–45 nm. The facile deposition of Au NPs atop Fe₃O₄@PDA NPs was achieved by utilizing PDA as both the reducing agent and the coupling agent. The satellite nanocatalysts exhibited high catalytic performance for the reduction of p-nitrophenol. Furthermore, the recovery and reuse of the catalyst was demonstrated 8 times without detectible loss in activity. The synergistic combination of unique features of PDA and magnetic nanoparticles establishes these core–shell NPs as a versatile platform for potential applications.