Iron nanoparticle
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Nanoscale iron particles are sub-micrometer particles of iron metal.[1] Due to their high catalytic activity, permanent magnetic properties, low toxicity, and strong adsorption capacity, iron-based nanoparticles are widely utilized in drug delivery, production of magnetic tapes (e.g., camcorders and backup tapes of computers[2]), gene therapy, and environmental remediation.[3]
Synthesis
[edit]Iron nanoparticles can be synthesized using two primary approaches: top-down and bottom-up methods.[4]
Top-down Methods
[edit]Top-down approaches create nanoparticles by breaking down larger bulk materials into smaller particles, including laser ablation and mechanical grinding.[3]
Bottom-up Methods
[edit]Bottom-up approaches involve the chemical and biological synthesis of iron nanoparticles from metal precursors (e.g., Fe(II) and Fe(III)).[3] This method is widely regarded as the most effective and commonly used strategy for nanoparticle preparation.[4] For example, iron nanoparticles can be chemically prepared by reducing Fe(II) or Fe(III) salts with sodium borohydride in an aqueous medium. This process can be described by the following equations:[5][6]
- 4 Fe3+ + 3 BH4− + 9 H2O → 4 Fe0↓ + 12 H+ + 6 H2 + 3 H2BO− (1)
- 4 Fe2+ + 3 BH4− + 9 H2O → 4 Fe0↓ + 8 H+ + 8 H2 + 3 H2BO− (2)
Properties
[edit]Iron nanoparticles are prone to oxidation when exposed to air and water.[3] This redox process can occur under both acidic and neutral/basic conditions:[7]
- 2 Fe0 + 4 H+ + O2 → 2 Fe2+ + 2 H2O (3)
- Fe0 + 2 H2O → Fe2+ + H2 + 2 OH− (4)
Application in biomedicine
[edit]Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have widely investigated for applications in biomedicine, including magnetic resonance imaging and cancer therapy via magnetic hyperthermia[8][9]
In addition to these applications, IONPs exhibit strong antibacterial activity and have been explored for drug and viral vector delivery to target cells.[10] Known microorganisms susceptible to the toxic effects of IONPs include Gram-negative bacteria (e.g., Escherichia coli and Klebsiella sp.) and Gram-positive bacteria (e.g., Bacillus sp. and Corynebacterium sp.).[10]
The antibacterial activity of IONPs is primarily attributed to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), a mechanism similar to the Fenton reaction.[10] Specifically, Fe2+ ions react with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), producing Fe3+ ions and hydroxyl radicals.[11] These highly reactive species induce oxidative damage to bacterial DNA, ultimately leading to cell death.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Huber, Dale L. (May 2005). "Synthesis, Properties, and Applications of Iron Nanoparticles". Small. 1 (5): 482–501. Bibcode:2005Small...1..482H. doi:10.1002/smll.200500006. ISSN 1613-6810. PMID 17193474.
- ^ "Iron Nanoparticles: Properties and Applications". Nanografi Advanced Materials. Retrieved 2025-04-12.
- ^ a b c d Xu, Weihua; Yang, Ting; Liu, Shaobo; Du, Li; Chen, Qiang; Li, Xin; Dong, Jie; Zhang, Zhuang; Lu, Sihui; Gong, Youzi; Zhou, Liang; Liu, Yunguo; Tan, Xiaofei (2022-01-01). "Insights into the Synthesis, types and application of iron Nanoparticles: The overlooked significance of environmental effects". Environment International. 158 106980. Bibcode:2022EnInt.15806980X. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2021.106980. ISSN 0160-4120.
- ^ a b Saif, Sadia; Tahir, Arifa; Chen, Yongsheng (November 2016). "Green Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles and Their Environmental Applications and Implications". Nanomaterials. 6 (11): 209. doi:10.3390/nano6110209. ISSN 2079-4991. PMC 5245755. PMID 28335338.
- ^ Wang, Chuan-Bao; Zhang, Wei-xian (1997-07-01). "Synthesizing Nanoscale Iron Particles for Rapid and Complete Dechlorination of TCE and PCBs". Environmental Science & Technology. 31 (7): 2154–2156. Bibcode:1997EnST...31.2154W. doi:10.1021/es970039c. ISSN 0013-936X.
- ^ Ponder, Sherman M.; Darab, John G.; Mallouk, Thomas E. (2000-06-01). "Remediation of Cr(VI) and Pb(II) Aqueous Solutions Using Supported, Nanoscale Zero-valent Iron". Environmental Science & Technology. 34 (12): 2564–2569. Bibcode:2000EnST...34.2564P. doi:10.1021/es9911420. ISSN 0013-936X.
- ^ Dickinson, Michelle; Scott, Thomas B. (2010-06-15). "The application of zero-valent iron nanoparticles for the remediation of a uranium-contaminated waste effluent". Journal of Hazardous Materials. 178 (1): 171–179. Bibcode:2010JHzM..178..171D. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.01.060. ISSN 0304-3894. PMID 20129731.
- ^ Espinosa, Ana; Di Corato, Riccardo; Kolosnjaj-Tabi, Jelena; Flaud, Patrice; Pellegrino, Teresa; Wilhelm, Claire (2016-02-23). "Duality of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy: Amplification of Heating Efficiency by Magnetic Hyperthermia and Photothermal Bimodal Treatment". ACS Nano. 10 (2): 2436–2446. Bibcode:2016ACSNa..10.2436E. doi:10.1021/acsnano.5b07249. ISSN 1936-0851. PMID 26766814.
- ^ Liu, Jia; Xu, Jie; Zhou, Jun; Zhang, Yu; Guo, Dajing; Wang, Zhigang (2017-02-09). "Fe3O4-based PLGA nanoparticles as MR contrast agents for the detection of thrombosis". International Journal of Nanomedicine. 12: 1113–1126. doi:10.2147/IJN.S123228. PMC 5310639. PMID 28223802.
- ^ a b c V., Gudkov, Sergey; E., Burmistrov, Dmitriy; A., Serov, Dmitriy; B., Rebezov, Maksim; A., Semenova, Anastasia; B., Lisitsyn, Andrey (July 2021). "Do Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Have Significant Antibacterial Properties?". Antibiotics. 10 (7). doi:10.3390/antibiotic (inactive 1 July 2025). ISSN 2079-6382. Archived from the original on 2025-03-04. Retrieved 2025-04-12.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Groiss, Silvia; Selvaraj, Raja; Varadavenkatesan, Thivaharan; Vinayagam, Ramesh (2017-01-15). "Structural characterization, antibacterial and catalytic effect of iron oxide nanoparticles synthesised using the leaf extract of Cynometra ramiflora". Journal of Molecular Structure. 1128: 572–578. Bibcode:2017JMoSt1128..572G. doi:10.1016/j.molstruc.2016.09.031. ISSN 0022-2860.