Green synthesis of spinel copper ferrite (CuFe ₂ O ₄ ) nanoparticles and their toxicity

Abstract

Abstract In this study, magnetic spinel copper ferrite (CuFe 2 O 4 ) nanostructures were eco-friendly synthesized using Nasturtium officinale extract. Physicochemical properties of these nanostructures were determined by transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometry, and energy dispersive X-ray mapping analysis. XRD patterns conform to the CuFe 2 O 4 formation. SEM results demonstrated ceramic spinel CuFe 2 O 4 nanostructures with spherical surface morphologies. The cytotoxicity effect of CuFe 2 O 4 nanostructures against rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells was evaluated based on MTT assay. The magnetic nanostructures had low toxicity at a concentration of 250 µg/mL. It appears that these nanostructures can be considered as suitable candidates for drug delivery and other biomedical applications, because of their low toxicity effects.