Magnetic hyperthermia and biocompatibility of Ca2 + - doped Zn-Mg spinel ferrite nanoparticles

Magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) is an emerging therapeutic approach that offers a promising alternative to conventional treatments like radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This technique involves the use of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) that generate heat when exposed to an alternating magnetic field (AMF). In this study, Zn0.5-xCaxMg0.5Fe2O4 (x = 0.1 and 0.2) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized using the solvothermal reflux method. The NPs, labeled as CMZ1 (x = 0.1) and CMZ2 (x = 0.2), exhibited diameters of 11 and 12 nm, making them suitable for biomedical applications. Magnetic measurements revealed saturation magnetization (Ms) values of nearly 56.03 and 62.75 emu/g for CMZ1 and CMZ2. The specific absorption rate (SAR) values, which represent the rate of heat generation per unit mass of NPs, were calculated for both samples under an AMF of 235.2 Oe. CMZ1 demonstrated higher SAR values (252.67 W/g and 69.76 W/g) compared to CMZ2 (188.41 W/g and 47.44 W/g). These findings suggest that CMZ1 has a greater potential for efficient heat generation in MHT applications. To evaluate the biocompatibility of the NPs, cytotoxicity tests were conducted on both cancer and normal cell lines. The results indicated that the NPs exhibited no toxicity, further supporting their potential for safe and effective use in MHT. Overall, the optimized structural, vibrational, and magnetic properties of CMZ1 and CMZ2 ferrite NPs, coupled with their promising cytotoxicity profile, highlight their significant potential for MHT applications. [Display omitted] •CMZ1 and CMZ2 NPs were effectively synthesized using the solvothermal reflux method.•The SAR values exhibited a decreasing trend as the Ca²⁺ concentration increased in Zn-Mg NPs.•The biocompatibility of the synthesized NPs was validated using BLO-11 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines.