Functionalized cobalt ferrite cubes: toxicity, interactions and mineralization into ferritin proteins

In the biological environment, the fate of nanomaterials characterizes as critical matter, which regulates environmental effects and associated hazards for humans. Understanding of the nanoparticle’s degradation, transformations and persistence may predict these risks. Safely designed inorganic nanomaterials are being focused for therapy; yet, fundamental processing in the biological environment and physical properties have not been assessed thoroughly. In this research work, bare, polyethylene glycol and citrate-coated cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (NPs) are prepared through modified chemical coprecipitation method. Structural, elemental, magnetic and morphological analysis of synthesized samples are performed through XRD, EDX, FTIR, VSM, SEM and TEM. XRD confirms the cubic structure of CoFe 2 O 4 with crystallite size 25.75 nm. SEM and TEM confirm the formation of faceted cube-like morphology. For in vivo toxicity studies, a single dose of bare and coated cobalt ferrite NPs are intraperitoneally administrated in healthy albino rats. The degradation effects are studied through optical follow-up, by introducing bare and coated NPs in lysosomal-like media where changes in behavior are linked with transformations in vivo. Transfer of degraded ions of cobalt ferrite NPs into apoferritin are also evaluated. Apoferritin studies reveal partial filling of protein with cobalt ions from cobalt ferrite NPs.