Polyethylene glycol-functionalized magnetic (Fe3O4) nanoparticles: A novel DNA-mediated antibacterial agent

Abstract

The Fe3O4-PEG magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by hydrothermal method at different concentrations (FeCl3·6H2O 0.75 mg/mL and FeCl3·6H2O 1.5 mg/mL) and subsequently surface-functionalized coating with polyethylene glycol (PEG), the successful coating of PEG molecules on the surface of Fe3O4. These magnetic NPs exhibited good dispersibility and dissolvability in physiological condition. The obtained magnetic nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetry (TG) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The antibacterial activity of Fe3O4-PEG magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) was studied against two bacterial strains: Gram-positive Staphylococcus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli aureus. The modified MNPs had a significant effect is more on S. aureus and less on E. coli. The results showed that polyethylene glycol-functionalized magnetic (Fe3O4) NPs as a novel DNA-mediated antibacterial agent.