Magnetite Nanoparticles Coated with Rifampicin and Chlortetracycline for Drug Delivery Applications

Four types of biocompatible magnetic fluids based on superparamagnetic nanoparticles with Fe3O4 cores were functionalized with antibiotics (rifampicin or chlortetracycline) as potential candidates for in vivo biomedical applications, such as magnetically controlled drug delivery. The synthesis consisted in coprecipitation of iron oxide in basic, as well as in acid medium, followed by the dispersion of the resulted magnetite nanoparticles in aqueous solution containing the antibiotic. The chosen method to prepare the magnetite-core/drug-shell systems avoided intermediate organic coating of the magnetic nanoparticles. Comparative analysis of the rheological features of the aqueous magnetic fluid samples was performed. The structural features of the coated magnetic particles were investigated by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM). Good crystallinity and adequate stability in time were evidenced. Drug delivery curves were spectrophotometrically provided.