Photocatalytic and AC magnetic-field induced enhanced cytotoxicity of Fe3O4–TiO2 core-shell nanocomposites against HeLa cells

Fe3O4–TiO2 core-shell nanocomposites were successfully prepared and characterized by FE-SEM, XRD, UV–vis absorbance spectra, and EDX. The FE-SEM and EDX studies revealed core-shell structure with a particle size of ca. 40–50 nm. We adopted HeLa cells as a model to investigate the thermal-photocatalytic cell killing efficiency of Fe3O4–TiO2 using 150 μg/mL dose content for 10 min exposure time. We found neither only AC magnetic-field induction nor only photoirradiation condition could kill the cancer cells up to satisfactory level using Fe3O4–TiO2 nanocomposites. Finally, the results revealed that almost 100% cancer cells were destructed by Fe3O4–TiO2 nanocomposites whereas for bare Fe3O4 and bare TiO2, 90% and 56% cancer cells were killed, respectively, under combined AC (alternating current) magnetic-field induction and UV–vis photoirradiated conditions.

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► Fe3O4–TiO2 core-shell nanocomposites were successfully prepared.
► We noticed the core-shell structure with a particle size of ca. 40–50 nm.
► Thermal-photocatalytic cancer cell killing efficiency was investigated.
► Combined AC magnetic-field induction and photoirradiation conditions were used.
► Significant enhanced cytotoxicity was found under combined conditions.