Chitosan and O-carboxymethyl chitosan modified Fe3O4 for hyperthermic treatment

In this study magnetic fluids were manufactured by the adsorption of chitosan (CS) and O-carboxymethyl chitosan (OCMCS) on Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles to be used as hyperthermic thermoseeds. Fe 3 O 4 particles were characterized by physico-chemical methods such as: thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectrum, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The SEM images and XRD patterns showed that the synthesized Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles were of single phase and spherical shape with 10–15 nm in diameter. The VSM measurements showed that Fe 3 O 4 particles were superparamagnetic with saturation magnetization of 70 emu g −1. The adsorbed layers of CS and OCMCS on the magnetite surface (Fe 3 O 4/CS) and (Fe 3 O 4/OCMCS) were confirmed by FTIR, Raman spectra and SEM. In the ac magnetic field of 80 Oe and 236 kHz, the saturation heating temperatures of the sample Fe 3 O 4/CS and Fe 3 O 4/OCMCS were 100 and 98 °C, respectively. At the same concentration of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles in suspension, the two magnetic fluids exhibited quite high heating capacity, with different behaviors of concentration dependence. The Fe 3 O 4/CS and Fe 3 O 4/OCMCS nanoparticles would serve as good thermoseeds for localized hyperthermia treatment of cancers.