Cytotoxicity of magnetite nanoparticles deposited in sodium chloride matrix and their functionalized analogues in erythrocytes

•Magnetite nanoparticles were obtained in a NaCl matrix by electron beam method.•They were modified with polyvinylpyrrolidone and ethylmethylhydroxypyridine succinate.•These nanoparticles were not cytotoxic to erythrocytes up to 100 μg Fe/ml.•They caused pathology of the shape of red blood cells and hemolysis at 200 μg Fe/ml.•The cytotoxicity decreased when using the antioxidant as a modifying agent. The synthesis of covered nanoparticles provides new properties to the materials for biomedical applications. This fully applies to iron oxide nanoparticles. The research aim was to study features of the magnetite nanoparticles synthesized by electron beam technology as well as to investigate their functionalization and cytotoxicity. Nanoparticle characteristics were determined by standard methods. Cytotoxiciy of nanoparticles was studied using erythrocyte model. It was shown that the original magnetite nanoparticles in the sodium chloride matrix can be functionalized with polyvinylpyrrolidone and ethylmethylhydroxypyridine succinate, an antioxidant. All investigated nanoparticles were non-toxic for erythrocytes at concentrations up to 100 μg Fe/ml. At 100-200 μg Fe/ml, they increased the amount of cells expressing phosphatidylserine on the outer membrane, the count of pathological forms of erythrocytes and hemolysis. These phenomena were less pronounced if the nanosystem included the antioxidant. Therefore, magnetite nanoparticles can be obtained by electron beam technology and functionalized to form non-toxic nanosystems.