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A new frontier in imaging: natural ore-sourced superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles for multi-modal imaging

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Abstract

In the ever-evolving field of medical diagnostics and imaging, the development of efficient and versatile contrast agents remains pivotal. This study presents a pioneering approach to synthesize superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles (SM-NPs) derived from natural ore using an environmentally friendly, green chemistry approach. These SM-NPs exhibit exceptional magnetic properties, surpassing all other forms of iron oxide, making them a novel and promising multi-imaging agent for various biomedical applications. The SM-NPs were synthesized with high purity from naturally occurring magnetite, sourced from the Earth's crust. Characterization via X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the cubic spinel ferrites structure of the sample, with an average particle size of 21.24 nm. Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed the presence of elemental functional groups, further supporting the material's suitability for biomedical use. Morphological analysis using field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (FESEM-EDX) unveiled agglomerated spherical particles ranging in size from 60 to 80 nm. The elemental composition analysis via EDX demonstrated predominant iron (Fe) and oxygen (O) elements at concentrations of 75.55% and 20.76%, respectively. The magnetic properties of the SMNPs were assessed using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), revealing a superparamagnetic behavior, as evidenced by the M-H plot. Furthermore, X-ray imaging exhibited a significant signal, even with just 40 mg of the substance, suggesting its potential as a robust contrast agent. Complementary findings from computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans demonstrated substantial absorption capabilities, even at relatively low concentrations of SM-NPs. These remarkable attributes position the green-synthesized SM-NPs as a highly versatile and efficient multi-imaging agent for various biomedical applications. This single nanomaterial can revolutionize disease diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and drug delivery within the biomedical field, offering a greener and more effective approach to medical imaging and diagnostics.

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The respective authors are willing to provide the data sets created during and/or analyzed during the current investigation upon justifiable request. The data sets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, St. Joseph’s Institute of Technology, Chennai, 600119, India

    A. Asha & N. Padmamalini

  2. Department of Biotechnology, St. Joseph’s College of Engineering, Chennai, 600119, India

    M. Chamundeeswari

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, Arunai Engineering College, Tiruvannamalai, 606603, India

    R. Mary Nancy Flora

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  1. A. Asha
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  2. M. Chamundeeswari
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AA: Conceptualization, methodology, writing—original draft preparation; MC: writing—review, editing and supervision; MNF: formal analysis, investigation, writing—editing; NP: formal analysis and interpretation.

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Correspondence to M. Chamundeeswari.

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Asha, A., Chamundeeswari, M., Flora, R.M.N. et al. A new frontier in imaging: natural ore-sourced superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles for multi-modal imaging. Appl Nanosci 14, 559–573 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13204-023-02993-1

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