Inorganic-organic magnetic nanocomposites for use in preventive medicine: a rapid and reliable elimination system for cesium.

PURPOSE

To investigate the potential use of Prussian blue-coated magnetic nanoparticles, termed "Prussian blueberry", to bring about the magnetic elimination of cesium.

METHODS

Prussian blueberry were prepared by a layer-by-layer assembly method. The morphology, structure and physical properties of the Prussian blueberry were investigated as was their ability to magnetically eliminate cesium.

RESULTS

We confirmed that Prussian blueberry were composed of a magnetite nanoparticle-core and a Prussian blue-shell. Under a magnetic field, Prussian blueberry (5 mg) reduced the cesium concentration of seawater (3 ml) from 150 ppm to about 50 ppm; but regular Prussian blue could not magnetically eliminate cesium. Moreover, Prussian blueberry removed a similar proportion of cesium from a larger volume of seawater, and from fetal bovine serum and cow's milk.

CONCLUSIONS

Under a magnetic field, Prussian blueberry was able to rapidly eliminate cesium from seawater and from biological matrices such as serum and milk.