Silica-coated magnetic beads containing an Fe-based amorphous alloy are applicable for nucleic acid extraction

•Magnetic beads containing Fe-based amorphous alloys is rapidly collected.•Magnetic beads containing Fe-based amorphous alloys is easily dispersed.•Fe-based amorphous alloys are materials applicable for nucleic acid extraction. In this study, we used silica-coated magnetic beads containing an Fe-based amorphous alloy for the extraction of genomic DNA or RNA. Silica-coated magnetic beads containing an Fe-based amorphous alloy could extract genomic DNA or RNA from various biomaterials and artificial viscous specimens with the yields greater than those obtained using conventional silica-coated magnetic beads containing iron oxide nanoparticles. Their characteristics of high saturation magnetization and low residual magnetization contributed to rapid collection by magnetic force and easy dispersion when detached from the magnet, leading to extract nucleic acids with a magnetic capture time of 1 s. The procedure using magnetic beads required no centrifugation and the magnetic beads could be introduced into an automated nucleic acid extraction machine. Therefore, replacing conventional beads with silica-coated magnetic beads containing an Fe-based amorphous alloy could support the development of an automated rapid extraction device in the future, especially in the medical field.