Magnetic Silver Hybrid Nanoparticles for Surface-Enhanced Resonance Raman Spectroscopic Detection and Decontamination of Small Toxic Molecules

Magnetic hybrid assemblies of Ag and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles with biocompatibly immobilized myoglobin (Mb) were designed to detect and capture toxic targets (NO₂^–, CN^–, and H₂O₂). Mb was covalently attached to chitosan-coated magnetic silver hybrid nanoparticles (M-Ag-C) <i>via</i> glutaraldehyde that serves as a linker for the amine groups of Mb and chitosan. As verified by surface-enhanced resonance Raman (SERR) spectroscopy, this immobilization strategy preserves the native structure of the bound Mb as well as the binding affinity for small molecules. On the basis of characteristic spectral markers, binding of NO₂^–, CN^–, and H₂O₂ could be monitored and quantified, demonstrating the high sensitivity of this approach with detection limits of 1 nM for nitrite, 0.2 μM for cyanide, and 10 nM for H₂O₂. Owing to the magnetic properties, these particles were collected by an external magnet to achieve an efficient decontamination of the solutions as demonstrated by SERR spectroscopy. Thus, the present approach combines the highly sensitive analytical potential of SERR spectroscopy with an easy approach for decontamination of aqueous solutions with potential applications in food and in environmental and medical safety control

Properties of New Magnetic Surfactants

This Article describes the synthesis and detailed characterization of a new set of magnetic surfactants containing lanthanide metal counterions. SQUID magnetometry has been used to elucidate the magnetic phase behavior, and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) provides evidence of micellar aggregation in aqueous media. This study also reveals that for cationic surfactants in aqueous systems there appears to be no significant increase in magnetic susceptibility after micellization