Title:A Magnetic Sensor Based on Poly(γ-Glutamic Acid)-Functionalized Iron
Oxide Nanoparticles for Cr3+ Detection
Volume: 18
Issue: 2
Author(s): Zhibo Yu, Liang Jia, Jianzhi Zhu, Mingwu Shen, Jingchao Li*, Jinting Jiu, Maoquan Li and Xiangyang Shi*
Affiliation:
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai
201620, China
- Department of Interventional and Vascular Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of
Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai
201620, China
Keywords:
Nanosensor, magnetic resonance sensing, relaxivity, iron oxide nanoparticles, Cr3+ ions, poly(γ-glutamic acid).
Abstract: Background: The highly sensitive and selective detection of Cr3+ is critical.
Objective: We report the development of poly(γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA)-functionalized iron oxide
nanoparticles (γ-PGA-Fe3O4 NPs) as a magnetic nanosensor for magnetic resonance (MR) detection
of trivalent chromium (Cr3+) in aqueous solution.
Methods: The γ-PGA-Fe3O4 NPs with a mean particle size of 7.3 nm, good colloidal stability and
ultrahigh r2 relaxivity (326.8 mM−1s−1) were synthesized via a facile mild reduction approach in the
presence of γ-PGA, and used for MR detection of Cr3+.
Results: Upon exposure to Cr3+, the γ-PGA-Fe3O4 NPs aggregated into nanoclusters as verified by
dynamic light scattering due to the coordination of Cr3+ with γ -PGA side-chain carboxyl groups,
resulting in the decrease in their transverse relaxation time. This MR signal change enables detection
of Cr3+ in a concentration range of 0.4-1 nM. We also show that the γ-PGA-Fe3O4 NPs have an excellent
selectivity toward Cr3+ and a high recovery percentage of 83.8% or above.
Conclusion: This study thus demonstrates that the developed γ-PGA-Fe3O4 NPs may be used as a
nanoprobe for MR sensing of Cr3+ in water environment.