A. F. Bakuzis

Effect of magnetic dipolar interactions on nanoparticle heating efficiency: Implications for cancer hyperthermia

Nanostructured magnetic systems have many applications, including potential use in cancer therapy deriving from their ability to heat in alternating magnetic fields. In this work we explore the influence of particle chain formation on the normalized heating properties, or specific loss power (SLP) of both low- (spherical) and high- (parallelepiped) anisotropy ferrite-based magnetic fluids. Analysis of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) data shows that high particle concentrations correlate with increasing chain length producing decreasing SLP. Monte Carlo simulations corroborate the FMR results. We propose a theoretical model describing dipole interactions valid for the linear response regime to explain the observed trends. This model predicts optimum particle sizes for hyperthermia to about 30% smaller than those previously predicted, depending on the nanoparticle parameters and chain size. Also, optimum chain lengths depended on nanoparticle surface-to-surface distance. Our results might have important implications to cancer treatment and could motivate new strategies to optimize magnetic hyperthermia.

Magnetic hyperthermia investigation of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles: Comparison between experiment, linear response theory, and dynamic hysteresis simulations

Considerable effort has been made in recent years to optimize materials properties for magnetic hyperthermia applications. However, due to the complexity of the problem, several aspects pertaining to the combined influence of the different parameters involved still remain unclear. In this paper, we discuss in detail the role of the magnetic anisotropy on the specific absorption rate of cobalt-ferrite nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 3 to 14 nm. The structural characterization was carried out using x-ray diffraction and Rietveld analysis and all relevant magnetic parameters were extracted from vibrating sample magnetometry. Hyperthermia investigations were performed at 500 kHz with a sinusoidal magnetic field amplitude of up to 68 Oe. The specific absorption rate was investigated as a function of the coercive field, saturation magnetization, particle size, and magnetic anisotropy. The experimental results were also compared with theoretical predictions from the linear response theory and dynamic h...

Field dependent transition to the non-linear regime in magnetic hyperthermia experiments: Comparison between maghemite, copper, zinc, nickel and cobalt ferrite nanoparticles of similar sizes

Further advances in magnetic hyperthermia might be limited by biological constraints, such as using sufficiently low frequencies and low field amplitudes to inhibit harmful eddy currents inside the patients body. These incite the need to optimize the heating efficiency of the nanoparticles, referred to as the specific absorption rate (SAR). Among the several properties currently under research, one of particular importance is the transition from the linear to the non-linear regime that takes place as the field amplitude is increased, an aspect where the magnetic anisotropy is expected to play a fundamental role. In this paper we investigate the heating properties of cobalt ferrite and maghemite nanoparticles under the influence of a 500 kHz sinusoidal magnetic field with varying amplitude, up to 134 Oe. The particles were characterized by TEM, XRD, FMR and VSM, from which most relevant morphological, structural and magnetic properties were inferred. Both materials have similar size distributions and satu...

Particle sizing of magnetite-based magnetic fluid using atomic force microscopy: A comparative study with electron microscopy and birefringence

Atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and static magnetic birefringence (SMB) were used to unfold the particle size polydispersity profile of a magnetite-based magnetic fluid sample. The data obtained from different techniques were curve fitted using the lognormal distribution function, from which the mean particle diameter (Dm) and the standard deviation (σ) were obtained. In comparison to the TEM data, the AFM data show a reduction of Dm (about 20%) and an increase of σ (about 15%). In contrast, close agreement between the TEM and SMB data was found.

Magneto-optical properties of a highly transparent cadmium ferrite-based magnetic fluid

The magneto-optical properties of a highly stable ionic magnetic fluid sample containing CdFe2O4 nanoparticles were investigated using static magnetic birefringence, zero-field optical transmissivity, and transmission electron microscopy. From our measurements we found that the transmittivity and the birefringence of the CdFe2O4-based sample is several times greater than a typical magnetic fluid sample (γ-Fe2O3 based), giving this magnetic material great potential for magneto-optics applications. We also found that the birefringence can be increased by several orders of magnitude, allowing full manipulation of the observed negative differential transmitted optical intensity feature.

The influence of aggregates and relative permeability on the magnetic birefringence in ionic magnetic fluids

The static magnetic birefringence (SMB) of nickel-ferrite ionic magnetic fluid was investigated within the oscillating dipole-interaction anisotropy concept proposed by Xu and Ridler [J. Appl. Phys. 82, 326 (1997)]. The model was extended to include the magnetic texture of particle agglomerates and the field dependence of the magnetic permeability. The SMB data of samples subjected or not to a magnetic aging process and presenting particle concentration in the range of 2×1016 to 8×1016 particle/cm3 were successfully described. The particle size distribution obtained from the fit of the SMB data was discussed in comparison with the data obtained from transmission electron microscopy.

Real-time infrared thermography detection of magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia in a murine model under a non-uniform field configuration.

Abstract Purpose: Magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia consists of an increase of the temperature of magnetic nanoparticles (heat centres) due to the interaction of their magnetic moments with an alternating magnetic field. In vivo experiments using this method usually use a few fibre-optic thermometers inserted in the animal body to monitor the heat deposition. As a consequence, only a few points of the 3D temperature distribution can be monitored by this invasive procedure. It is the purpose of this work to show that non-invasive infrared thermography is able to detect, in real time, magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia as well as monitor the harmful field-induced eddy currents in a murine model with a subcutaneous tumour. This surface temperature measurement method has the potential to give information about the intratumoral temperature. Materials and methods: The non-invasive magnetic hyperthermia experiments were performed at 300 kHz in non-uniform field configuration conditions in healthy mice and murine tumour induced by sarcoma S180. A soft ferrite-based biocompatible magnetic colloid consisting of manganese–ferrite nanoparticles surface-coated with citric acid were used in the experiments, which were extensively characterised by several techniques (transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM)). The amplitude of the alternating magnetic fields was obtained from measurements using an AC field probe at similar experimental conditions. The temperature measurements were obtained from an infrared thermal camera and a fibre-optic thermometer. Results: Three-minute magnetic hyperthermia experiments revealed surface temperature increase as high as 11 °K in healthy and (5 °K in S180 tumour) animals when injecting subcutaneously 2 mg of magnetic nanoparticles (86 μL of magnetic fluid), in contrast to around 1.5 °K (for healthy) and 2.5 °K (for cancerous) animals in experiments without the colloid due to field-induced eddy currents at the animal surface. The thermographic temperature measurements were found to agree with the fibre-optic measurements within a 5% error, and were associated with the skin emissivity angle of dependence in the experimental set-up. On the other hand, a 30-min magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia revealed surface temperature increases as high as 12 °K close to the injection site, while above 2–3 cm no significant temperature increase was observed. Curiously, the intratumoral temperature, monitored by a fibre-optic sensor, was found to be almost the same as the thermal camera surface temperature after achieving an equilibrium temperature regime. From the observed isotherms at the animal surface, using an analytical heat conduction model, taking into account surface conductance, we estimate a magnetic heating power of 0.45 W/cm3 and a specific loss power (SLP) of 85 W/g for a field of the order of only 10 kA/m at the injection site region. Conclusions: The results indicate that infrared thermography may be a promising tool for both early cancer detection and for hyperthermia treatment (at least for subcutaneous tumours), since the method permits access to information about the intratumoral temperature during a real-time magnetic hyperthermia as well as to estimate the in vivo nanoparticles SLP.

Nanosilver Application in Dental Cements

Streptococcus mutans is the microorganism mostly responsible for initiation of tooth decay and also for the progression of an established lesion. Silver has been used for its antibacterial properties for many years, in different forms: ionised and elementary forms, as silver zeolites or as nanoparticles. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of three dental cements modified by nanosilver. Three cements were used: Sealapex, RelyX ARC, and Vitrebond. The cements were incorporated with 0.05 mL of silver nanoparticles solution. Control groups were prepared without silver. Six Petri plates with BHI were inoculated with S. mutans using sterile swabs. Three cavities were made in each agar plate (total = 18) and filled with the manipulated cements. They were incubated at 37∘C for 48 h, and the inhibition halos were measured. The paired t-Test was used for statistical analysis (𝑃<0.05). No inhibition halos were obtained for Sealapex and Rely X, but Vitrebond showed bactericidal activity without silver and enhanced effect with silver incorporation.

Irreversibility of zero-field birefringence in ferrofluids upon temperature reversal

The temperature dependence of the zero-field birefringence was investigated using acid and basic MnFe2O4 ionic magnetic fluids, in the range of 290–350 K. Approaching a characteristic temperature (Tc) from below, which depends upon the sample characteristics, the zero-field birefringence goes critically down to zero. Furthermore, the birefringence shows an irreversible path upon heating and cooling the samples above Tc. The experimental data are successfully explained as long as dimers are included in the model calculation and the thermal disruption of them follows a critical behavior.

On the energy conversion efficiency in magnetic hyperthermia applications: A new perspective to analyze the departure from the linear regime

The success of magnetic hyperthermia cancer treatments rely strongly on the magnetic properties of the nanoparticles and their intricate dependence on the externally applied field. This is particularly more so as the response departs from the low field linear regime. In this paper we introduce a new parameter, referred to as the efficiency in converting electromagnetic energy into thermal energy, which is shown to be remarkably useful in the analysis of the system response, especially when the power loss is investigated as a function of the applied field amplitude. Using numerical simulations of dynamic hysteresis, through the stochastic Landau-Lifshitz model, we map in detail the efficiency as a function of all relevant parameters of the system and compare the results with simple—yet powerful—predictions based on heuristic arguments about the relaxation time.