Pitfalls and Challenges in Nanotoxicology: A Case of Cobalt Ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) Nanocomposites

Abstract

Nanotechnology is developing at a rapid pace with promises of a brilliant socio-economic future. The apprehensions of vivid future involvement with nanotechnology make nanoobjects ubiquitous in the macroscopic world of humans. Nanotechnology helps us to visualize the new mysterious horizons in engineering, sophisticated electronics, environmental remediation, biosensing, and nanomedicine. In all these hotspots, cobalt ferrite (CoFe) nanoparticles (NPs) are outstanding contestants because of their astonishing controllable physicochemical and magnetic properties with ease of synthesis methods. The extensive use of CoFe NPs may result in CoFe NPs easily penetrating the human body unintentionally by ingestion, inhalation, adsorption, etc. and intentionally being instilled into the human body during biomedical diagnostics and treatment. After being housed in the human body, it might induce oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, inflammation, apoptosis, and developmental, metabolic and hormonal abnormalities. In this review, we compiled the toxicity knowledge of CoFe NPs aimed to provide the safe usage of this breed of nanomaterials.

Biocompatible Magnetic Fluids of Co-Doped Iron Oxide Nanoparticles with Tunable Magnetic Properties

“…Furthermore, the in vitro test system like the cell line used or the incubation medium composition has to be taken into account. Moreover, the assay characteristics like the ingredients and the measuring principle play a role [47]. Therefore, it is advisable to evaluate the effects of nanomaterials on cell viability with independent assay systems.…”

“…Thus, no elevated toxicity can be observed when the iron oxide MNPs are doped with cobalt ions. Co-ferrite MNPs were investigated from several groups for their potential cytotoxicity with diverse results [47]. Horev-Azaria and colleagues could demonstrate using several cell lines that Coferrite MNPs exhibited a concentration-, cell-line-and duration-dependent cytotoxic effect [51].…”

“…The magnetic nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation in an alkaline media applying a modified protocol of the standard preparation procedure for such particles [53]. For tuning the magnetic properties, the Fe 2+ ions of magnetite were substituted by Co 2+ step by step in our study which resulted in a Co-doped inverse spinel lattice with an adjustable Fe 2+ substitution degree, see Formula (1): Co-ferrite MNPs were investigated from several groups for their potential cytotoxicity with diverse results [47]. Horev-Azaria and colleagues could demonstrate using several cell lines that Co-ferrite MNPs exhibited a concentration-, cell-line-and duration-dependent cytotoxic effect [51].…”

Magnetic Nanomaterials for Magnetically-Aided Drug Delivery and Hyperthermia

“…Magnetic nanoparticles can be synthesized by using ionic and non-ionic techniques [43]. There are numerous methods known to synthesize magnetic nanoparticles, such as mechanical milling [44], co-precipitation [45], nanoreactor/microemulsion techniques [45,46], sonochemical processing [45,46], sol-gel methods [47], flow injection [43], electrochemical production [48], supercritical fluid techniques [49,50], thermal decomposition [13][14][15][16]22,[51][52][53][54][55], hydrothermal routes [45], microwave techniques [56], spray pyrolysis [45], laser pyrolysis [45], flame spray pyrolysis [45], gas phase synthesis [45], arc discharge [57], oxidation [58,59], and microbial methods etc. [43,45,60].…”

Synthesis and Magnetic Properties of L‐Alanine Capped CoFe2O4 Nanoparticles

“…Therefore, this synthesis expedites the production of MNPs suitable for a wide range of potential applications including biotechnology and data storage via a simple adjustment of the concentration of a low cost, biologically compatible ligand, L‐alanine ,,,…”