Green synthesis of spinel copper ferrite (CuFe <sub>2</sub> O <sub>4</sub> ) nanoparticles and their toxicity
Saade Abdalkareem Jasim, Indrajit Patra, Maria Jade Catalan Opulencia, Kadda Hachem, Rosario Mireya Romero‐Parra, Mohammad Javed Ansari, Abduladheem Turki Jalil, Moaed E. Al‐Gazally, Mahin Naderifar, Mehrdad Khatami, Reza Akhavan‐Sigari
Abstract
Abstract In this study, magnetic spinel copper ferrite (CuFe 2 O 4 ) nanostructures were eco-friendly synthesized using Nasturtium officinale extract. Physicochemical properties of these nanostructures were determined by transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometry, and energy dispersive X-ray mapping analysis. XRD patterns conform to the CuFe 2 O 4 formation. SEM results demonstrated ceramic spinel CuFe 2 O 4 nanostructures with spherical surface morphologies. The cytotoxicity effect of CuFe 2 O 4 nanostructures against rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells was evaluated based on MTT assay. The magnetic nanostructures had low toxicity at a concentration of 250 µg/mL. It appears that these nanostructures can be considered as suitable candidates for drug delivery and other biomedical applications, because of their low toxicity effects.