Design of iron oxide nanoparticles decorated oleic acid and bovine serum albumin for drug delivery

• Oleic acid and bovine serum albumin were decorated on the surface of iron oxide nanoparticles in new pattern.
• Potential utility in delivery of anticancer drugs.
• Nanoparticulate drug delivery system of iron oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications.

This study aimed to originally develop a new nanoparticulate drug delivery system of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4) for biomedical applications. Oleic acid and bovine serum albumin were decorated on the surface of iron oxide nanoparticles in new pattern by conjugation. The decoration was kicked off by the functionalization of arginine on the surface of the iron oxide nanoparticles. It was then followed by the conjugation of oleic acid and bovine serum albumin through the amide bond. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize and determine mechanism of the decorated nanoparticles. Paclitaxel was chosen as the model drug in the study. The nanoparticles demonstrated a potential utility in delivery of anticancer drugs.