How Did Magnetite Nanoparticles Affect Bacterial Growth?.

Nanomagnetite has numerous applications in biomedical and environmental fields, including in vivo imaging, drug delivery, and arsenic removal. Environmental applications typically involve the deliberate release of nanoparticles into soil and/or water. Limited information, however, is available regarding the impact of magnetite nanoparticles on microorganisms. In this study, we utilized carefully characterized synthetic magnetite nanoparticles to investigate their effect on the growth of four bacteria, i.e., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Enterococcus faecalis. The results indicate that neither stabilized nor bare magnetite nanoparticles were toxic to the bacteria tested.