Facilely dispersible magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4) prepared by a surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether monomethacrylate (PEGMA) are reported. The initiator of 2-bromoisobutyrate (BIB) for ATRP was immobilized onto the surface of Fe3O4 nanoparticles by the reaction between 2-bromoisobutyl bromide (BIBB) and the hydroxyl group on the nanoparticles. The results indicated that the poly(poly(ethylene glycol) monomethactylate) (PPEGMA) was successfully grafted onto the surface of the magnetic nanoparticles. The core-shell nanoparticles with particle size of approximate to 20 nm in water (about 20 mg/mL) are facilely dispersible and can be easily captured by a magnet with magnetic field of 2000 G. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.