Antibacterial properties and osteoblast interactions of microfluidically synthesized chitosan – <scp>SPION</scp> composite nanoparticles
Melisa Kafali, O. Berkay Şahinoğlu, Yiğithan Tufan, Z. Cemre Orsel, Elif Aygün, Beril Alyuz, Emine Ülkü Sarıtaş, E. Yegân Erdem, Batur Ercan
Abstract
Abstract In this research, a multi‐step microfluidic reactor was used to fabricate chitosan – superparamagnetic iron oxide composite nanoparticles (Ch – SPIONs), where composite formation using chitosan was aimed to provide antibacterial property and nanoparticle stability for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Monodispersed Ch – SPIONs had an average particle size of 8.8 ± 1.2 nm with a magnetization value of 32.0 emu/g. Ch – SPIONs could be used as an MRI contrast agent by shortening T 2 relaxation parameter of the surrounding environment, as measured on a 3 T MRI scanner. In addition, Ch – SPIONs with concentrations less than 1 g/L promoted bone cell (osteoblast) viability up to 7 days of culture in vitro in the presence of 0.4 T external static magnetic field. These nanoparticles were also tested against Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) and Pseudomonas aerugino sa ( P. aeruginosa ), which are dangerous pathogens that cause infection in tissues and biomedical devices. Upon interaction of Ch – SPIONs with S. aureus and P. aeruginosa at 0.01 g/L concentration, nearly a 2‐fold reduction in the number of colonies was observed for both bacteria strains at 48 h of culture. Results cumulatively showed that Ch – SPIONs were potential candidates as a cytocompatible and antibacterial agent that can be targeted to biofilm and imaged using an MRI.