Chitosan chelated Fe3+ nanocomposite for enhanced biomedical and environmental applications

Chitosan, a biopolymer known for its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and chemical adaptability, has attracted significant attention in scientific research. Chitosan-metal nanocomposites represent an emerging area of exploration. Among these, Chitosan-Fe nanocomposite has gained prominence due to its various applications, including photoremediation, bioimaging, and drug delivery systems. In this study, we delved into the synthesis and physicochemical properties of Chitosan-Fe nanocomposites. These nanocomposites exhibited a spherical structure with active binding sites that allowed for the functionalization of Fe3+ ions on their surface. Density functional theory simulations corroborated this alteration, demonstrating changes in surface charge properties resulting in increased mechanical strength. A key finding of this study is the enhanced antibacterial activity exhibited by the Cs-Fe nanocomposites against both Escherichia coli (62.5 µg/mL) and Staphylococcus aureus (125.25 µg/mL), surpassing that of bare Chitosan nanoparticles. Furthermore, our investigation confirms the therapeutic safety of the Chitosan-Fe nanocomposite. The cell viability calculated by MTT assay and accepted therapeutic dose concentration for CS-Fe NC was 125 ug/mL whereas for CSNP < 15.62 µg/mL. This underscores the nanocomposite’s potential in biomedical applications. In addition to its biomedical promise, the Chitosan-Fe nanocomposite also demonstrates remarkable potential in environmental remediation, particularly in the removal of hexavalent chromium.