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Development of Magneto Nanoparticles for Biomedical and Environmental Applications

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2020) | Viewed by 20307

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Physics Center of Minho and Porto Universities (CF-UM-UP), University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Interests: magnetic nanoparticles; semiconductor nanoparticles; metallic nanoparticles; quantum dots; biosensors; magnetic liposomes; new fluorescent probes; bionanoconjugates; drug delivery; solar cells

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Guest Editor
Physics Centre of Minho and Porto Universities (CF-UM-UP), University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Interests: drug delivery systems; magnetic and plasmonic nanoparticles; (magneto)liposomes; bionanomaterials; combined cancer therapy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Physics for Materials and Emergent Technologies (LaPMET), Physics Centre of Minho and Porto Universities (CFUM), 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Interests: nanomaterials; nanotechnology; nanofibers; electrospinning; magnetic nanostructures; ferroelectric nanomaterials; multiferroic nano-composites; dielectrics and piezoelectrics; spintronics; energy harvesting; EMI shielding
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleague,

The potential of magneto nanoparticles for biomedical and environmental applications has been recognized, owing to their physicochemical and magnetic properties. Nanoparticles with superparamagnetic behavior are preferred for these purposes, as they exhibit a strong magnetization only when an external magnetic field is applied. The preparation methods determine the final shape, size distribution, surface chemistry, and magnetic characteristics of the magnetic nanoparticles.

In biomedical applications, concerning the ability to target specific sites of interest (through surface functionalization) and to produce heat, magnetic nanoparticles have been widely investigated for drug delivery, hyperthermia, and biological imaging as MRI contrast agents.

Considering their environmental applications, ferrites have shown potential in contaminant removal, remediation, and water treatment, as well as in the photodegradation of dyes and photoinduced water splitting. In this last regard, coupling of g-C3N4/Pt with cobalt ferrite raised hydrogen photoproduction efficiency more than three times when compared to g-C3N4/Pt. 

This Special Issue is devoted to the development of magnetic nanoparticles and their biomedical or environmental applications, including synthesis methods, characterization techniques, and structural and magnetic properties. The development and applications of magnetic nanoparticle-based systems, such as magnetic microemulsions, magnetic liposomes, magnetogels, and semiconductor/metallic nanoscale heterojunctions, are also welcome.

Dr. Paulo José Gomes Coutinho
Dr. Elisabete Maria dos Santos Castanheira Coutinho
Dr. Bernardo Gonçalves Almeida
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Magnetic nanoparticles
  • Superparamagnetism
  • Magnetic nanocarriers
  • Magnetic hyperthermia
  • MRI contrast agents
  • Photocatalysis
  • Environmental remediation
  • Energy photoproduction

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 1858 KiB  
Article
Upscale Design, Process Development, and Economic Analysis of Industrial Plants for Nanomagnetic Particle Production for Environmental and Biomedical Use
by Paulo A. Augusto, Teresa Castelo-Grande, Diana Vargas, Alvaro Pascual, Lorenzo Hernández, Angel M. Estevez and Domingos Barbosa
Materials 2020, 13(11), 2477; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13112477 - 29 May 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2423
Abstract
Very few economical and process engineering studies have been made concerning the scale-up and implementation of nanomagnetic particle manufacturing into a full-scale plant, and determination of its viability. In this work we describe such a study for two types of industrial plants, one [...] Read more.
Very few economical and process engineering studies have been made concerning the scale-up and implementation of nanomagnetic particle manufacturing into a full-scale plant, and determination of its viability. In this work we describe such a study for two types of industrial plants, one for manufacturing magnetic particles for applications in the environmental area, and the other for manufacturing nanomagnetic particles for applications in the biotechnology area; the two different applications are compared. The following methodology was followed: establish the manufacturing process for each application; determine the market demand of the product (magnetic nanoparticles) for both applications; determine the production capacity of each plant; engineer all the manufacturing process, determining all the process units and performing all the mass and energy balances for both plants; scale-up the main equipment; and determine the global economic impact and profitability. At the end both plants are found to be technologically and economically viable, the characteristics of the final products being, however, quite different, as well as the process engineering, economic analysis, and scale-up. Full article
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13 pages, 2929 KiB  
Article
Water Decontamination with Magnetic Particles by Adsorption and Chemical Degradation. Influence of the Manufacturing Parameters
by Paulo A Augusto, Teresa Castelo-Grande, Diana Vargas, Lorenzo Hernández, Leticia Merchán, Angel M Estevez, Juan Gómez, José M Compaña and Domingos Barbosa
Materials 2020, 13(10), 2219; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13102219 - 12 May 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2538
Abstract
Many different processes for manufacturing of magnetic particles are present in scientific literature. However, the large majority are not able to be applied to large-scale real operations. In this study, we present an experiment undertaken to determine advisable values and options for the [...] Read more.
Many different processes for manufacturing of magnetic particles are present in scientific literature. However, the large majority are not able to be applied to large-scale real operations. In this study, we present an experiment undertaken to determine advisable values and options for the main variables and factors for the application of the reverse co-precipitation method to produce magnetic particles for real environmental applications. In such, we have tried a conjugation of values/factors that has led to 12 main experiments and production of 12 different particles. After an initial study concerning their main characteristics, these 12 different particles were applied for the sorption removal of COD from real wastewater samples (efficiencies between 70% and 81%) and degradation of Methylene blue by Fenton reaction (degradation efficiencies up to 100%). The main conclusion from this work is that the best set of values depends on the target environmental application, and this set of values were determined for the two applications studied. Full article
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11 pages, 253 KiB  
Article
Magnetic Nanoparticles Behavior in Biological Solutions; The Impact of Clustering Tendency on Sedimentation Velocity and Cell Uptake
by Mohammad Dabaghi and Ingrid Hilger
Materials 2020, 13(7), 1644; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13071644 - 02 Apr 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1939
Abstract
Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are prone to exhibit physicochemical changes caused by their interaction with biological solutions. However, such interactions have been less considered in cancer therapy studies. The behavior of four iron oxide MNP formulations with different surface coatings, namely, chitosan (CS), polyvinyl [...] Read more.
Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are prone to exhibit physicochemical changes caused by their interaction with biological solutions. However, such interactions have been less considered in cancer therapy studies. The behavior of four iron oxide MNP formulations with different surface coatings, namely, chitosan (CS), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), carboxymethyldextran (CMX), and polydimethylamine (PEA), was investigated, after their exposure to four different cell culture media (DMEM/F12 and MEM, among others) and six different cancer cell lines (HT29, HT1080, T24, MDA-MB-231, BxPC-3, and LS174T). The sedimentation (Vs) and diffusion (Vd) velocities of MNPs in different culture media were calculated. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were used to quantify cell uptake efficiency and physicochemical properties, respectively. Apart from PVA-coated MNPs, CMX-, CS-, and PEA-coated MNPs clustered and increased notably in size when dispensed in culture media. The different MNP formulations led either to a low (PVA-coated MNPs), medium (CS- and CMX-coated MNPs), or high (PEA-coated MNPs) clustering in the different culture media. Clustering correlated with the Vs and Vd of the MNPs and their subsequent interaction with cells. In particular, the CMX-coated MNPs with higher Vs and lower Vd internalized more readily than the PVA-coated MNPs into the different cell lines. Hence, our results highlight key considerations to include when validating nanoparticles for future biomedical applications. Full article
19 pages, 5923 KiB  
Article
Development of Novel Magnetoliposomes Containing Nickel Ferrite Nanoparticles Covered with Gold for Applications in Thermotherapy
by Irina S. R. Rio, Ana Rita O. Rodrigues, Carolina P. Rodrigues, Bernardo G. Almeida, A. Pires, A. M. Pereira, J. P. Araújo, Elisabete M. S. Castanheira and Paulo J. G. Coutinho
Materials 2020, 13(4), 815; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13040815 - 11 Feb 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3378
Abstract
Multifunctional nanosystems combining magnetic and plasmonic properties are a promising approach for cancer therapy, allowing magnetic guidance and a local temperature increase. This capability can provide a triggered drug release and synergistic cytotoxic effect in cancer cells. In this work, nickel ferrite/gold nanoparticles [...] Read more.
Multifunctional nanosystems combining magnetic and plasmonic properties are a promising approach for cancer therapy, allowing magnetic guidance and a local temperature increase. This capability can provide a triggered drug release and synergistic cytotoxic effect in cancer cells. In this work, nickel ferrite/gold nanoparticles were developed, including nickel ferrite magnetic nanoparticles decorated with plasmonic gold nanoparticles and core/shell nanostructures (with a nickel ferrite core and a gold shell). These nanoparticles were covered with a surfactant/lipid bilayer, originating liposome-like structures with diameters below 160 nm. The heating capacity of these systems, upon excitation with light above 600 nm wavelength, was assessed through the emission quenching of rhodamine B located in the lipid layer. The developed nanosystems show promising results for future applications in thermotherapy. Full article
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16 pages, 4301 KiB  
Article
Magnetic Nanoparticles of Zinc/Calcium Ferrite Decorated with Silver for Photodegradation of Dyes
by Ricardo J. C. Fernandes, Carlos A. B. Magalhães, Carlos O. Amorim, Vítor S. Amaral, Bernardo G. Almeida, Elisabete M. S. Castanheira and Paulo J. G. Coutinho
Materials 2019, 12(21), 3582; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12213582 - 31 Oct 2019
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3019
Abstract
Magnetic nanoparticles of zinc/calcium ferrite and decorated with silver were prepared by coprecipitation method. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized by UV/Visible absorption, XRD, TEM and SQUID. The mixed zinc/calcium ferrites exhibit an optical band gap of 1.78 eV. HR-TEM imaging showed rectangular nanoplate [...] Read more.
Magnetic nanoparticles of zinc/calcium ferrite and decorated with silver were prepared by coprecipitation method. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized by UV/Visible absorption, XRD, TEM and SQUID. The mixed zinc/calcium ferrites exhibit an optical band gap of 1.78 eV. HR-TEM imaging showed rectangular nanoplate shapes with sizes of 10 ± 3 nm and aspect ratio mainly between 1 and 1.5. Magnetic measurements indicated a superparamagnetic behavior. XRD diffractograms allowed a size estimation of 4 nm, which was associated with the nanoplate thickness. The silver-decorated zinc/calcium ferrite nanoparticles were successfully employed in the photodegradation of a model dye (Rhodamine B) and industrial textile dyes (CI Reactive Red 195, CI Reactive Blue 250 and CI Reactive Yellow 145). The nanosystems developed exhibited promising results for industrial application in effluent photoremediation using visible light, with the possibility of magnetic recovery. Full article
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Review

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29 pages, 5862 KiB  
Review
Magnetic Nanomaterials as Contrast Agents for MRI
by Sofia Caspani, Ricardo Magalhães, João Pedro Araújo and Célia Tavares Sousa
Materials 2020, 13(11), 2586; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13112586 - 05 Jun 2020
Cited by 96 | Viewed by 6487
Abstract
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a powerful, noninvasive and nondestructive technique, capable of providing three-dimensional (3D) images of living organisms. The use of magnetic contrast agents has allowed clinical researchers and analysts to significantly increase the sensitivity and specificity of MRI, since these [...] Read more.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a powerful, noninvasive and nondestructive technique, capable of providing three-dimensional (3D) images of living organisms. The use of magnetic contrast agents has allowed clinical researchers and analysts to significantly increase the sensitivity and specificity of MRI, since these agents change the intrinsic properties of the tissues within a living organism, increasing the information present in the images. Advances in nanotechnology and materials science, as well as the research of new magnetic effects, have been the driving forces that are propelling forward the use of magnetic nanostructures as promising alternatives to commercial contrast agents used in MRI. This review discusses the principles associated with the use of contrast agents in MRI, as well as the most recent reports focused on nanostructured contrast agents. The potential applications of gadolinium- (Gd) and manganese- (Mn) based nanomaterials and iron oxide nanoparticles in this imaging technique are discussed as well, from their magnetic behavior to the commonly used materials and nanoarchitectures. Additionally, recent efforts to develop new types of contrast agents based on synthetic antiferromagnetic and high aspect ratio nanostructures are also addressed. Furthermore, the application of these materials in theragnosis, either as contrast agents and controlled drug release systems, contrast agents and thermal therapy materials or contrast agents and radiosensitizers, is also presented. Full article
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