Composite spheres made of bioengineered spider silk and iron oxide nanoparticles for theranostics applications

Bioengineered spider silk is a biomaterial that has exquisite mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Iron oxide nanoparticles can be applied for the detection and analysis of biomolecules, target drug delivery, as MRI contrast agents and as therapeutic agents for hyperthermia-based cancer treatments. In this study, we investigated three bioengineered silks, MS1, MS2 and EMS2, and their potential to form a composite material with magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs). The presence of IONPs did not impede the self-assembly properties of MS1, MS2, and EMS2 silks, and spheres formed. The EMS2 spheres had the highest content of IONPs, and the presence of magnetite IONPs in these carriers was confirmed by several methods such as SEM, EDXS, SQUID, MIP-OES and zeta potential measurement. The interaction of EMS2 and IONPs did not modify the superparamagnetic properties of the IONPs, but it influenced the secondary structure of the spheres. The composite particles exhibited a more than two-fold higher loading efficiency for doxorubicin than the plain EMS2 spheres. For both the EMS2 and EMS2/IONP spheres, the drug revealed a pH-dependent release profile with advantageous kinetics for carriers made of the composite material. The composite spheres can be potentially applied for a combined cancer treatment via hyperthermia and drug delivery

Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in atomic spectrometry and related techniques

This review of 151 references covers developments in ‘Atomic Spectrometry’ published in the twelve months from November 2014 to November 2015 inclusive. It covers atomic emission, absorption, fluorescence and mass spectrometry, but excludes material on speciation and coupled techniques which are included in a separate review. It should be read in conjunction with the previous review1 and the other related reviews in the series.2–6 A critical approach to the selection of material has been adopted, with only novel developments in instrumentation, techniques and methodology being included. Most of the techniques discussed have reached a stage of maturity where major advances are less common, with many of the novel developments falling under the category of ‘applications’ and advances in instrumentation being confined to component parts, such as sample introduction and sample preparation systems. There have been some developments in mass spectrometry, with reports of distance of flight (DOF)-MS and zoom-TOF-MS to improve speed of data collection and resolution respectively; and further insights into space charge effects in the ICP channel and ion beam of ICP-MS. The development of components for portable systems continues to be of interest, covering areas such as plasma sources for OES, fibre-optic laser systems for LIBS, and compact components for planetary exploration. The quest for high sensitivity and precision and low noise has driven developments in MC-ICP-MS in order to improve precision of IR measurements for geochronology and other applications