ABSTRACT
Aqueous suspensions containing magnetic microparticles have been increasingly used in biosciences and biotechnology. This work describes an experimental procedure to produce superparamagnetic microparticles. The particles were prepared based on the coprecipitation of iron salts in alkaline medium. Afterwards, characterization was performed. Characterization data demonstrated that magnetite was the dominant phase in the analyzed sample, and 50% of them were in the size range of 0.5-5 microm. The results suggest that the experimental protocol provided a simple synthesis route to produce superparamagnetic microparticles. Such properties may be very useful for biotechnological purposes.
Subject(s)
Biotechnology/methods , Ferrosoferric Oxide/chemistry , Magnetics , Particle Size , X-Ray DiffractionABSTRACT
This work evaluates an experimental set-up to coat superparamagnetic particles in order to protect them from gastric dissolution. First, magnetic particles were produced by coprecipitation of iron salts in alkaline medium. Afterwards, an emulsification/cross-linking reaction was carried out in order to produce magnetic polymeric particles. The sample characterization was performed by X-ray powder diffraction, laser scattering particle size analysis, optical microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and vibrating sample magnetometry. In vitro dissolution tests at gastric pH were evaluated for both magnetic particles and magnetic polymeric particles. The characterization data have demonstrated the feasibility of the presented method to coat, and protect magnetite particles from gastric dissolution. Such systems may be very promising for oral administration.
Subject(s)
Ferrosoferric Oxide/chemistry , Magnetics , Polymers/chemistry , Xylans/chemistry , Administration, Oral , Delayed-Action Preparations , Drug Delivery Systems , Ferrosoferric Oxide/chemical synthesis , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Lasers , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning , Particle Size , Scattering, Radiation , Solubility , Thermogravimetry , X-Ray Diffraction , Zea maysABSTRACT
The recent development of superconducting magnets has resulted in a huge increase in human exposure to very large static magnetic fields of up to several teslas (T). Considering the rapid advances in applications and the great increases in the strength of magnetic fields used, especially in magnetic resonance imaging, safety concerns about magnetic field exposure have become a key issue. This paper points out some of these safety concerns and gives an overview of the findings about this theme, focusing mainly on mechanisms of magnetic field interaction with living organisms and the consequent effects.
