Innovative Synthesis of Magnetite Nanoparticles and their Interaction with Two Model Proteins: Human Serum Albumin and Lysozyme

Abstract The synthesis of magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs) has gained significant interest due to their broad applications, particularly in biomedicine and environmental purification. In this study, Fe₃O₄ NPs are synthesized using a novel chemical co‐precipitation method, yielding NPs with excellent characteristics such as saturation magnetization of 41.42 emu g −1 , a coercivity of less than 4 Oe, and a remanence below 0.4 emu g −1 , demonstrating superparamagnetic‐like properties. The particles achieved an average size of 11 nm and displayed robust colloidal stability in aqueous suspension for ≈30 days. Additionally, chitosan‐coated Fe₃O₄ (Fe₃O₄‐CS) NPs are prepared, which maintained similar magnetic properties with a slightly lower magnetization of 38.35 emu g −1 due to the nonmagnetic CS layer. To assess the biomedical applicability of these NPs, their effects on model proteins human serum albumin and lysozyme are examined. Circular dichroism studies revealed only slight decreases in α‐helix content indicating minimal alterations to the secondary structure. Moreover, fluorescence studies indicated local changes in protein tertiary structures without significant disruption. This research highlights the potential of Fe₃O₄ and Fe₃O₄‐CS NPs for applications in drug delivery and controlled release systems due to their stability, biocompatibility, and unique magnetic properties.