Our world is rapidly changing and its future is on our hands. Great effort is being done
against overexploitation of natural resources, uncontrolled hunting and pollution. A
great concerning fact is due to pollution which is causing a continuous greenhouse
effect and new cancer cases every single day. Nowadays, it is possible to improve the
detection of lethal elements in the environment, to fight against cancer in a smarter
manner, with less pain and with more efficiency but, more important, to use the same
low-cost, fast and environmentally friendly tool for these purposes and more. This
reality is thanks to previous works and findings regarding the Magnetic Nanoparticles
(MNPs), which are employable in a wide variety of applications such as magnetic
recording media, resonance imaging, heavy metals ions removal and biomedicine
(specifically in the hyperthermic treatment of malignant cells, site-specific drug delivery
and separation of proteins and cell population). MNPs have special properties such as
superparamagnetic, high field irreversibility, high saturation field, extra anisotropy
contributions or shifted loops after field cooling, biocompatibility, long durability, low
toxicity and cost.
In this context, this project intends 1) to develop through a novel synthesis method, a
biosensor capable to detect mercury in water by irreversible inhibition of the enzyme
Horseradish Peroxidase attached onto the surface of different coated MNPs being able
to approximate its detections to those limits stablished by the Environmental Protecting
Agency of the United States of America; and 2) to use these high valuable nanoparticles
as an immunoprecipitation vehicle through the attachment of a polyclonal antibody onto
the surface of functionalized MNPs, selective against a suppressor protein.
MNPs of about 10 nm were obtained within one minute via co-precipitation method
enhanced by high power ultrasound. Experimental design has been used in order to
optimize the preparation process from hours to just one minute.
The composition, structure, size and morphology analyses of these MNPs have been
carried out through X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,
thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy showing the correct
achievement of the MNPs. Moreover, different coating agents have been tested in order
to functionalize MNPs surface with the aim of attaching later biomolecules, such as
enzymes and antibodies