Facile synthesis of superparamagnetic manganese ferrite nanoparticles as a novel T2 MRI contrast agent

With co-precipitation method we successfully synthesized an aqueous dispersible, superparamagnetic manganese ferrite nanoparticles at relatively low temperature (190 degrees C). This material shows potential application as T-2 MRI contrast agent. Cost-effective and less toxic manganese (II) chloride (MnCl2 center dot 4H(2)O) and iron (III) chloride hexahydrate (FeCl3 center dot 6H(2)O) were used as precursors and 2-[2-(2-Hydroxyethoxy)ethoxy] ethanol (TEG) were utilized as solvent which served as stabilizer and provided a reduction system. The mean diameter of these nanoparticles is about 7 nm. Its saturation magnetization (Ms) and relaxivity value (r(2)) are as high as 46 emu/g and 593.9 mM(-1)s(-1) respectively. In vitro cell study demonstrated pancreatic cancer cells could keep viable when the manganese ferrite nanoparticles concentration reached up to 50 mu g/mL.