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Simplified Synthesis of the Amine-Functionalized Magnesium Ferrite Magnetic Nanoparticles and Their Application in
Ágnes M Ilosvai1, Tímea B Gerzsenyi2, Emőke Sikora1
1Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Materials and Chemical Engineering, University of Miskolc, 3515 Miskolc, Hungary.
Abstract:
For pathogens identification, the PCR test is a widely used method, which requires the isolation of nucleic acids from different samples. This extraction can be based on the principle of magnetic separation. In our work, amine-functionalized magnesium ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized for this application by the coprecipitation of ethanolamine in ethylene glycol from Mg(II) and Fe(II) precursors. The conventional synthesis method involves a reaction time of 12 h (MgFe2O4-H&R MNP); however, in our modified method, the reaction time could be significantly reduced to only 4 min by microwave-assisted synthesis (MgFe2O4-MW MNP). A comparison was made between the amine-functionalized MgFe2O4 samples prepared by two methods in terms of the DNA-binding capacity. The experimental results showed that the two types of amine-functionalized magnesium ferrite magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were equally effective in terms of their DNA extraction yield. Moreover, by using a few minutes-long microwave synthesis, we obtained the same quality magnesium ferrite particles as those made through the long and energy-intensive 12-h production method. This advancement has the potential to improve and expedite pathogen identification processes, helping to better prevent the spread of epidemics.
Insights
Synthesized amine-functionalized magnesium ferrite magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) using microwave-assisted synthesis. This 4-minute method yields DNA extraction comparable to the conventional 12-hour process, improving pathogen identification.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is crucial for pathogen identification, requiring efficient nucleic acid isolation.
- Magnetic separation techniques offer a promising approach for nucleic acid extraction.
- Amine-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are effective for DNA binding and isolation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize amine-functionalized magnesium ferrite nanoparticles (MgFe2O4) for nucleic acid extraction.
- To compare a rapid microwave-assisted synthesis method with a conventional synthesis method.
- To evaluate the DNA-binding capacity and extraction yield of MNPs produced by both methods.
Main Methods:
- Coprecipitation of ethanolamine in ethylene glycol using Mg(II) and Fe(II) precursors.
- Conventional synthesis of MgFe2O4-H&R MNP with a 12-hour reaction time.
- Microwave-assisted synthesis of MgFe2O4-MW MNP with a 4-minute reaction time.
Main Results:
- Both conventional and microwave-assisted synthesis produced equally effective amine-functionalized MgFe2O4 MNPs for DNA extraction.
- The DNA extraction yield was comparable between the two synthesis methods.
- Microwave-assisted synthesis significantly reduced reaction time from 12 hours to 4 minutes.
Conclusions:
- Rapid microwave-assisted synthesis of amine-functionalized MgFe2O4 MNPs is a viable and energy-efficient alternative to conventional methods.
- This advancement can expedite nucleic acid extraction for pathogen identification.
- The findings support improved and faster epidemic prevention strategies.
