Synthesis of CoFe2O4-CaCO3 nanocomposite for simultaneous magnetic hyperthermia and drug release applications

Abstract

In the present research, CoFe2O4 nanostructures were produced using a sol-gel auto-combustion method. A novel approach was used for the synthesis of CoFe2O4-CaCO3 nanocomposite. The synthesized CoFe2O4-CaCO3 nanocomposite was examined for hyperthermia and drug release applications. Different methods including vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used to characterize the produced powders. TEM images showed that spherical and irregular particles were formed in the samples with particle sizes ranging from 30 to 60 nm. The cytotoxicity of the nanocomposite was evaluated via MTT assay using MG63 cells, which revealed that by increasing the percentage of CaCO3, the viability of the cells was increased. The sustained drug release revealed that the samples had an appropriate drug loading and controlled drug delivery capability in 72 h. Furthermore, with various magnetic fields or cobalt ferrite to CaCO3 ratios, it is feasible to produce heat and prepare this nanocomposite for magnetic hyperthermia-based treatment. SAR parameter calculation demonstrated that the samples were a suitable candidate for hyperthermia treatment. The current research demonstrates that a new method could be applied for making pH-sensitive CoFe2O4-CaCO3 as a magnetic nanocarrier for cancer treatment.