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Polystyrene (PS) fiber mats incorporating iron (Fe) particles were fabricated by electrospinning and the hydrophobicity of the resulting magnetic fabrics was investigated with and without an applied magnetic field. The results show that the hydrophobicity (as measured using water droplet contact angle) increases in the presence of a magnetic field and the hysterisis in the advancing/receding contact angle (a measure of the stickiness of the surface) decreases in the presence of a magnetic field. It is also shown that the contact angle and hysterises increase with decreasing fiber diameter and mat thickness.

CdSe semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots--QDs) with diameters ranging between 1.5 and 8 nm exhibit strong, tunable luminescence [1-5]. They have been widely investigated for their size-dependent optoelectronic properties [6], and for their potential use in optical devices [7], biological labels [8] and sensors [9]. Luminescent quantum dots (QDs) show higher photostability and narrower emission peaks compared to organic fluorophores [8]. The objective of my project was to apply QDs magnetic/luminescent nanoparticle as biological labels in cells. Luminescent CdSe QDs emit bright visible light with high quantum yield and sharp emission peak. The CdSe QDs were capped with a ZnS layer. This increased their emission efficiency and photostability due to the larger band gap of ZnS. The QDs were transferred from organic solvent (e.g. chloroform, hexane) to water by exchanging the capping group (Trioctylphosphine Oxide—TOPO) with mercaptoacetic acid. To develop a separation and detection tool for cells, we combined γ-Fe2O3 magnetic particles with CdSe/ZnS QDs in core-shell composite. The composite nanoparticles showed strong fluorescence emission and high water solubility. Different antibodies were attached to the particles through EDAC coupling. The antibody-coated particles were used to successfully separate and detect breast cancer cells in blood cells.

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) hold great promise in the fields of biology and medicine. The synthesis of functional MNPs with precisely controlled crystallographic, physicochemical, and magnetic properties on a large scale still remains the challenge today. This thesis reports the exploration of liquid-fed flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) in the synthesis of functional MNPs, their surface modifications, and potential bio-applications. Superparamagnetic and ferromagnetic maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles, and silica-coated maghemite (SiO2/γ-Fe2O3) nanocomposites were synthesised using FSP. The size of γ-Fe2O3 was controllable from 6 to 53 nm, with morphology evolving from a disordered near-spherical shape to fully ordered 2-D hexagonal/octagonal platelet. The saturation magnetisation (Ms) increased from 21 to 74 emu/g with increasing particle size, up to 13 nm when Ms approached the bulk γ-Fe2O3 characteristics. In the case of SiO2/γ-Fe2O3, three distinct morphologies, namely the single segregated γ-Fe2O3 core- SiO2 shell, transitional mixed morphologies, and multi γ-Fe2O3 cores embedded in submicron SiO2 shell, were obtained. The core size, composite size, and morphology of γ- Fe2O3 were tunable by varying %SiO2 loading and the use of a quartz tube enclosure during flame synthesis. The magnetic behaviour correlated well with the crystal microstructure. Following the core particle design, protein adsorption-desorption behaviour on FSP-madeMNPs was studied. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption was found to follow the Langmuir isotherm, with high binding capacities (150−348 mg BSA/g particle) and fast association constants. Electrostatically governed BSA orientations were proposed for different particle-buffer systems. The adsorbed BSA was effectively recovered by pH-shift using K2HPO4. Subsequently, terminal amine, aldehyde, carboxylic, epoxy, mercapto and maleimide functionality were anchored onto the FSP-made γ-Fe2O3 particles. These versatile functional groups led to conjugation of active trypsin. The immobilised trypsin exhibited superior durability with >60% residual activity after one week, and excellent reusability for >5 cycles. The trypsin-conjugated MNPs are promising carriers in proteomics, demonstrating good substrate specificity with equivalent or better sequence coverage compared to free trypsin in insulin and BSA digestion. In another application, a refined silanisation procedure simultaneously reduced γ-Fe2O3 to Fe3O4, and generated thiol enriched surface for matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) conjugation. The highly active MMP-2-conjugated MNPs could potentially enhance the interstitial transport of macromolecule/nanoparticles in drug delivery.

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) hold great promise in the fields of biology and medicine. The synthesis of functional MNPs with precisely controlled crystallographic, physicochemical, and magnetic properties on a large scale still remains the challenge today. This thesis reports the exploration of liquid-fed flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) in the synthesis of functional MNPs, their surface modifications, and potential bio-applications. Superparamagnetic and ferromagnetic maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles, and silica-coated maghemite (SiO2/γ-Fe2O3) nanocomposites were synthesised using FSP. The size of γ-Fe2O3 was controllable from 6 to 53 nm, with morphology evolving from a disordered near-spherical shape to fully ordered 2-D hexagonal/octagonal platelet. The saturation magnetisation (Ms) increased from 21 to 74 emu/g with increasing particle size, up to 13 nm when Ms approached the bulk γ-Fe2O3 characteristics. In the case of SiO2/γ-Fe2O3, three distinct morphologies, namely the single segregated γ-Fe2O3 core- SiO2 shell, transitional mixed morphologies, and multi γ-Fe2O3 cores embedded in submicron SiO2 shell, were obtained. The core size, composite size, and morphology of γ- Fe2O3 were tunable by varying %SiO2 loading and the use of a quartz tube enclosure during flame synthesis. The magnetic behaviour correlated well with the crystal microstructure. Following the core particle design, protein adsorption-desorption behaviour on FSP-madeMNPs was studied. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption was found to follow the Langmuir isotherm, with high binding capacities (150−348 mg BSA/g particle) and fast association constants. Electrostatically governed BSA orientations were proposed for different particle-buffer systems. The adsorbed BSA was effectively recovered by pH-shift using K2HPO4. Subsequently, terminal amine, aldehyde, carboxylic, epoxy, mercapto and maleimide functionality were anchored onto the FSP-made γ-Fe2O3 particles. These versatile functional groups led to conjugation of active trypsin. The immobilised trypsin exhibited superior durability with >60% residual activity after one week, and excellent reusability for >5 cycles. The trypsin-conjugated MNPs are promising carriers in proteomics, demonstrating good substrate specificity with equivalent or better sequence coverage compared to free trypsin in insulin and BSA digestion. In another application, a refined silanisation procedure simultaneously reduced γ-Fe2O3 to Fe3O4, and generated thiol enriched surface for matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) conjugation. The highly active MMP-2-conjugated MNPs could potentially enhance the interstitial transport of macromolecule/nanoparticles in drug delivery.

Nanoparticles have potential biomedical applications because of their special physical properties. Multi-scale nanoparticles contrast agents are those particles that provide contrast in different scale imaging modalities. Such particles are of great interest for monitoring anti-cancer drug delivery, allowing investigations of whole body drug distribution as well as that at the microscopic level. Magnetic nanoparticles in particular have been used as contrast agents in MRI and optical techniques such as confocal microscopy and two photon fluorescence (TPF) microscopy to achieve multiple scale imaging. However, confocal microscopy has a limited optical penetration in biological tissue. Moreover, both techniques, confocal microscopy and TPF microscopy, require labelling of the biological tissue which alters the particle distribution and complicates the biological system under-investigation.

The method for the study of protein phoshorylation sites was elaborated. This method is based on the IMAC separation of phosphopeptides from protein proteolytic digests using new magnetic sorbents and on their subsequent identification by mass spectrometry (MS). Magnetic non-porous hydrophilic poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate) particles prepared by the dispersion polymerization and modified with iminodiacetic acid (IDA) with immobilized Fe(III) and Ga(III) ions were employed for the enrichment of phosphopeptides from the proteolytic digests of two model proteins, porcine pepsin A and bovine α-casein. The optimum conditions for phosphopeptide adsorption and desorption in both cases were investigated and compared. The phosphopeptides separated from both proteolytic digests were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight MS. For the immunochemical separation of phosphoproteins, protein fraction containing antibodies was obtained from egg yolk of hens immunized with O-phosphoryl-L-serine conjugated to key limpet hemocyanin. Antibodies were purified using affinity chromatography on immobilized α-casein and their presence was proven by MS. Specificity of the obtained antibodies was examined using ELISA tests. Obtained results showed, that specificity...

O presente projeto teve como objetivo sintetizar matrizes magnetizadas para imobilização da lipase de Burkholderia cepacia para aplicação na síntese de ésteres alquilicos. Foram testadas duas metodologias para síntese de compósitos formados por óxidos magnéticos dispersos em matriz de sílica, a saber: a) matriz polissiloxano-álcool polivinílico (SiO2-PVA) dopada com Fe3O4 e ?Fe2O3 e b) matriz polissiloxano-álcool polivinílico (SiO2-PVA) sintetizada com incorporação de Fe3O4 e ?Fe2O3. As matrizes polissiloxano-álcool polivinílico (SiO2-PVA) e partículas de Fe3O4 e ?Fe2O3 foram usadas como controles. As características texturais e morfológicas das matrizes magnéticas e não magnética foram determinadas por microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), difratograma de raios-X, espectroscopia no infravermelho (IV) e análise de tamanho de poros (BET). As partículas de magnetita (Fe3O4) e maghemita (?Fe2O3) apresentaram comportamento superparamagnético. A lipase de B. cepacia foi imobilizada nas quatro matrizes (magnetizada e não magnetizada) por adsorção física e ligação covalente e os rendimentos de imobilização similares obtidos sugerem que as partículas de ferro não interferiram na interação enzima-suporte. Entretanto, os parâmetros cinéticos (Km e Vmax) determinados indicaram que a lipase imobilizada nos suportes magnetizados tem menor afinidade pelo substrato. Os valores determinados de Km e Vmax da lipase de B. cepacia na forma livre (Km = 400 ± 32 mM e Vmax = 16019 ± 749 Ug-1) mostraram que independente do suporte a imobilização reduziu aproximadamente 50% da afinidade da enzima pelo substrato. Os derivados imobilizados obtidos por ligação covalente foram selecionados para mediar reações de transesterificação do óleo de coco pela rota etanólica e demonstraram eficiente desempenho, fornecendo conversões praticamente totais em ésteres de etila entre 72-96h. A menor velocidade de reação foi verificada para a lipase imobilizada em partículas de Fe3O4 e ?Fe2O3, provavelmente devido à interferência negativa do óxido de ferro que reduziu a afinidade da enzima pelo substrato, corroborando com os parâmetros cinéticos Km e Vmax. As amostras purificadas apresentaram propriedades que atendem às especificações exigidas pela Agência Nacional de Petróleo (ANP) para uso como biocombustível, incluindo: pureza elevada em ésteres etílicos (mínimo 96%), densidade (873-876 kgm-3) e viscosidade cinemática (3,76-3,93 mm2s-1). / The objective of this work was to synthesize magnetic matrices for immobilization of Burkholderia cepacia lipase to be used in the synthesis of alkyl esters. Two methods for the synthesis of the magnetic composites dispersed in silica matrices were tested: a) matrix polysiloxane-polyvinyl alcohol (SiO2-PVA) coating with Fe3O4 and ?Fe2O3 and b) matrix polysiloxane-polyvinyl alcohol (SiO2-PVA) synthesized with incorporation of Fe3O4 and ?Fe2O3. The matrix polysiloxane-polyvinyl alcohol (SiO2-PVA) and the composite Fe3O4 and ?Fe2O3 particles were used as controls. The morphological and textural characteristics of the magnetic and nonmagnetic matrices were determined by analysis of pore size (BET), scanning electron microscopy (MEV), X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy (IV). The magnitete (Fe3O4) and maghmitite (?Fe2O3) particles showed super paramagnetic behavior. The lipase B. cepacia was immobilized in the matrices (magnetized and non-magnetized) by physical adsorption and covalent attachment and the similar immobilization yields obtained suggest that the iron particles did not affect the enzyme-support interaction. However, the determined kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax) indicated that the lipase immobilized in both magnetized SiO2-PVA matrices had lower affinity for the substrate. The Km and Vmax values determined for free lipase (Km = 400 ± 32 mM and Vmax =16019 ± 749 Ug-1), showed that independely of the immobilization support the affinity of the enzyme for the substrate was reduced by 50%. The immobilized derivatives prepared by covalent attachment were used to mediate the transesterification reactions of coconut oil by ethanolysis route. All immobilized derivatives were efficient in the ethanolysis of coconut oil attaining total conversion to ethyl esters in 72 hours, with the exception of the immobilized lipase on Fe3O4 and ?Fe2O3 particles, which provided total conversion in 96 h, probably due to the negative influence of the iron particles on the enzyme. The purified product samples (biodiesel) were essentially odorless and translucent appearance. The purity of the ethyl esters was high. In addition, other properties such as density (873-876 kg m-3) and viscosity (3.76-3.93 mm2 s-1) meet the specifications required by the National Petroleum Agency (ANP) to be used as a biofuel.

O presente projeto teve como objetivo sintetizar matrizes magnetizadas para imobilização da lipase de Burkholderia cepacia para aplicação na síntese de ésteres alquilicos. Foram testadas duas metodologias para síntese de compósitos formados por óxidos magnéticos dispersos em matriz de sílica, a saber: a) matriz polissiloxano-álcool polivinílico (SiO2-PVA) dopada com Fe3O4 e ?Fe2O3 e b) matriz polissiloxano-álcool polivinílico (SiO2-PVA) sintetizada com incorporação de Fe3O4 e ?Fe2O3. As matrizes polissiloxano-álcool polivinílico (SiO2-PVA) e partículas de Fe3O4 e ?Fe2O3 foram usadas como controles. As características texturais e morfológicas das matrizes magnéticas e não magnética foram determinadas por microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), difratograma de raios-X, espectroscopia no infravermelho (IV) e análise de tamanho de poros (BET). As partículas de magnetita (Fe3O4) e maghemita (?Fe2O3) apresentaram comportamento superparamagnético. A lipase de B. cepacia foi imobilizada nas quatro matrizes (magnetizada e não magnetizada) por adsorção física e ligação covalente e os rendimentos de imobilização similares obtidos sugerem que as partículas de ferro não interferiram na interação enzima-suporte. Entretanto, os parâmetros cinéticos (Km e Vmax) determinados indicaram que a lipase imobilizada nos suportes magnetizados tem menor afinidade pelo substrato. Os valores determinados de Km e Vmax da lipase de B. cepacia na forma livre (Km = 400 ± 32 mM e Vmax = 16019 ± 749 Ug-1) mostraram que independente do suporte a imobilização reduziu aproximadamente 50% da afinidade da enzima pelo substrato. Os derivados imobilizados obtidos por ligação covalente foram selecionados para mediar reações de transesterificação do óleo de coco pela rota etanólica e demonstraram eficiente desempenho, fornecendo conversões praticamente totais em ésteres de etila entre 72-96h. A menor velocidade de reação foi verificada para a lipase imobilizada em partículas de Fe3O4 e ?Fe2O3, provavelmente devido à interferência negativa do óxido de ferro que reduziu a afinidade da enzima pelo substrato, corroborando com os parâmetros cinéticos Km e Vmax. As amostras purificadas apresentaram propriedades que atendem às especificações exigidas pela Agência Nacional de Petróleo (ANP) para uso como biocombustível, incluindo: pureza elevada em ésteres etílicos (mínimo 96%), densidade (873-876 kgm-3) e viscosidade cinemática (3,76-3,93 mm2s-1). / The objective of this work was to synthesize magnetic matrices for immobilization of Burkholderia cepacia lipase to be used in the synthesis of alkyl esters. Two methods for the synthesis of the magnetic composites dispersed in silica matrices were tested: a) matrix polysiloxane-polyvinyl alcohol (SiO2-PVA) coating with Fe3O4 and ?Fe2O3 and b) matrix polysiloxane-polyvinyl alcohol (SiO2-PVA) synthesized with incorporation of Fe3O4 and ?Fe2O3. The matrix polysiloxane-polyvinyl alcohol (SiO2-PVA) and the composite Fe3O4 and ?Fe2O3 particles were used as controls. The morphological and textural characteristics of the magnetic and nonmagnetic matrices were determined by analysis of pore size (BET), scanning electron microscopy (MEV), X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy (IV). The magnitete (Fe3O4) and maghmitite (?Fe2O3) particles showed super paramagnetic behavior. The lipase B. cepacia was immobilized in the matrices (magnetized and non-magnetized) by physical adsorption and covalent attachment and the similar immobilization yields obtained suggest that the iron particles did not affect the enzyme-support interaction. However, the determined kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax) indicated that the lipase immobilized in both magnetized SiO2-PVA matrices had lower affinity for the substrate. The Km and Vmax values determined for free lipase (Km = 400 ± 32 mM and Vmax =16019 ± 749 Ug-1), showed that independely of the immobilization support the affinity of the enzyme for the substrate was reduced by 50%. The immobilized derivatives prepared by covalent attachment were used to mediate the transesterification reactions of coconut oil by ethanolysis route. All immobilized derivatives were efficient in the ethanolysis of coconut oil attaining total conversion to ethyl esters in 72 hours, with the exception of the immobilized lipase on Fe3O4 and ?Fe2O3 particles, which provided total conversion in 96 h, probably due to the negative influence of the iron particles on the enzyme. The purified product samples (biodiesel) were essentially odorless and translucent appearance. The purity of the ethyl esters was high. In addition, other properties such as density (873-876 kg m-3) and viscosity (3.76-3.93 mm2 s-1) meet the specifications required by the National Petroleum Agency (ANP) to be used as a biofuel.

Dans les prochaines années, les traitements des maladies graves (cancer, pathologies du cerveau, etc) pourraient fortement bénéficier des progrès en science des matériaux et des nanotechnologies. Du point de vue médical, il est bien connu que les cellules cancéreuses ont tendance à développer des résistances aux chimiothérapies dont les effets secondaires limitent considérablement l'efficacité des traitements. Pour ces raisons, la recherche de thérapies alternatives ciblant les cellules cancéreuses sans affecter les tissus sains est actuellement l'un des domaines les plus actifs de recherche sur le cancer. Dans ce contexte, les nanoparticules magnétiques reçoivent un intérêt croissant pour diverses applications biomédicales allant du diagnostic au traitement ciblé. En effet, grâce à leur possibilité d'actionnement contrôlé à distance par des champs magnétiques externes, les particules magnétiques ont la capacité d'exercer des forces ou couples localisés sur des espèces biologiques ciblées.Ce travail de thèse décrit une approche basée sur l'action mécanique de particules magnétiques bio-fonctionnalisées sur des cellules cancéreuses. Lorsque ces particules sont liées aux cellules cancéreuses, l'application d'un champ magnétique alternatif externe induit l'oscillation des particules, qui transmet alors une force mécanique aux cellules cancéreuses.Les particules magnétiques utilisées pour cette application ont fait l'objet d'un long développement. Contrairement aux particules magnétiques conventionnelles synthétisées par des voies chimiques (« bottom-up »), les particules étudiées dans cette thèse ont été spécialement conçues par des techniques développées pour la micro/nanoélectronique (« top-down »). Ainsi, deux types de particules magnétiques ont été comparés ; des particules antiferromagnétiques synthétiques (SAF) constituées d'empilements de couches magnétiques et des microparticules constituées d'une couche magnétique unique avec une configuration de vortex magnétique.Une fois ces particules mises en solution, les phénomènes d'auto-polarisation qui contribuent à l'agglomération / dispersion de ces particules par les interactions magnétostatiques ont été comparés, ainsi que les couples mécaniques que ces deux types de particules magnétiques peuvent générer sur les cellules cancéreuses lorsqu'elles sont soumises à un champ magnétique externe.Bien que les particules SAF génèrent de plus grands couples, remplacer les constituants de l'empilement magnétique par des matériaux biocompatibles reste délicat, ce qui n'est pas le cas de leurs homologues en vortex magnétique, facilement réalisables avec des oxydes de fer.En exploitant les propriétés des vortex magnétiques en NiFe, nous avons développé une approche pour la destruction ciblée des cellules cancéreuses du carcinome rénal humain. Les tests menés in-vitro montrent que ce stimulus magnéto-mécanique créé deux effets dramatiques : une diminution significative du taux de cellules cancéreuses vivantes, et l'initiation du processus d'apoptose (ou mort cellulaire programmée) et ce, en appliquant de faibles valeurs de champs (~100 Oe c'est-à-dire 10mT) à de très faibles fréquences (~ 20 Hz). Des études pour la quantification de la mort cellulaire par cytométrie en flux ont été menées. Les résultats déjà obtenus bien qu'au stade « preuve de concept » sont très encourageants pour le futur des nouvelles thérapies du cancer. / In the coming years, the treatment of serious diseases (cancer, brain diseases, etc.) could benefit more intensely from advances in materials science and nanotechnology. From the medical point of view, it is well known that cancer cells tend to develop resistance to chemotherapy, and the side effects encountered seriously limit the effectiveness of treatments. For these reasons, the search for alternative therapies that target cancer cells without affecting healthy tissues is currently one of the most active areas of research on cancer. In this context, magnetic nanoparticles are receiving an increasing interest in a variety of applications ranging from biomedical diagnostic to targeted treatments. Indeed, due to their remote actuation by external magnetic fields, the magnetic particles have the ability to locally perform actuations on targeted biological species.This thesis describes an approach based on interfacing cancer cells with bio-functionalized magnetic particles. When these particles are bound to the cancer cells, applying an external alternating magnetic field induces the particles oscillations, which then transmits a mechanical stress to the cancer cells.For this application, specific magnetic particles were prepared. Unlike conventional magnetic particles made by chemical routes ("bottom-up"), the particles studied in this thesis have been specially designed by techniques used in micro / nanoelectronics ("top-down"). Thus, two types of magnetic particles were compared; synthetic antiferromagnetic particles (SAF) consisting of magnetic multilayer stacks and microparticles consisting of a single magnetic layer with a magnetic vortex configuration.Once these particles released in a solution, the self-polarization phenomenon that contributes to the agglomeration / dispersion of these particles by magnetostatic interactions were compared for both types of particles as well as the mechanical torques that they can exert on cancer cells when subjected to an external magnetic field.Although SAF particles generate higher torques, finding biocompatible materials that may replace the constituents of the magnetic stack remains difficult, while vortex-particles would be easier to make in magnetic iron oxides.By exploiting the properties of NiFe magnetic vortices, we have developed an approach for the targeted destruction of the human renal carcinoma cells. The tests launched in vitro show that the magneto-mechanical stimulus creates two dramatic effects: a significant decrease in the rate of alive cancer cells, and the initiation of the apoptosis (programmed cell death). These results were achieved by applying low field values (~ 100 Oe i.e.10mT) at low frequencies (~ 20 Hz). Studies for the quantification of cell death by flow cytometry were conducted. The results already obtained even at the stage of "proof of Concept" are very encouraging for new perspectives of cancer therapies.