Characterization and dielectric properties of magnetic nanoparticles (Ferrofluid) conjugated with chemotherapy drug for medical application

Abstract

Basically, magnetic drug delivery system using magnetic nanoparticle carriers targeted by an external magnetic field has been recently a promising choice to avoid problems coupled with usual chemotherapy. An external magnetic field is used to localize the drug loaded carriers at the tumor site and the drug can then be released from the carriers. Consequently, our study is concerned with the ferrofluid (Fe3O4) as magnetic nanoparticles coated with PEG (polyethylene glycol) and conjugated with the doxorubicin as an anti-cancer drug in which the doxorubicin mixed with different four amounts of ferrofluid 700,800,900 and 1100 µl respectively. Herein, characterization of the ferrofluid (Fe3O4) were carried out using x- ray. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) technique was used for all the mixed samples to define the shape of conjugation. FT-IR method was used in wave number range from 400 to 4000 cm -1 to characterize the structure of the samples. Moreover, the dielectric properties of the samples, such as dielectric constant, ', dielectric loss '' and AC conductivity, for these prepared samples were investigated in the frequency range from 0.5 kHz to 1MHz at 25±1 o C. Our study has been extended to include measurements of absorption spectrum of the samples in wave length range from 300 to 900 nm. The results showed that the samples were characterized by three peaks at wave numbers 490, 1637 and 3459 cm -1 by using FT-IR method. In addition to that TEM technique explained the shape of conjugation of doxorubicin with ferrofluid. Ferrofluid spread on DOX and caused increasing in the darkening of the film due to increasing of their amounts. Also, the conductivity of the samples changed with increasing the ferrofluid amounts. Both of the dielectric constant, ' and dielectric loss '',, showed slight changes. The absorption peaks of the samples increased with increasing the ferrofluid amounts loaded with the doxorubicin and the absorption bandwidth became broader.