Highly water-soluble magnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles for drug delivery: enhanced in vitro therapeutic efficacy of doxorubicin and MION conjugates

We report a simple one step protocol for the preparation of fairly monodisperse and highly water-soluble magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs) through a co-precipitation method using a novel multifunctional, biocompatible and water-soluble polymer ligand dodecanethiol–polymethacrylic acid (DDT–PMAA). DDT–PMAA owing to its several intrinsic properties, not only efficiently controls the size of the MIONs but also gives them excellent water solubility, long time stability against aggregation and oxidation, biocompatibility and multifunctional surface rich in thioether and carboxylic acid groups. The molecular weight and concentration of the polymer ligand were optimized to produce ultrasma…