Biomedical Applications of Nanoalloys

The scope of applications of nanoparticles in medicine and biomedicine has significantly increased in the last number of years. Nanoparticles and nanoalloys possess superior properties such as high surface-to-volume ratio, increased chemical reactivity and stability, tunable and higher magnetic and cellular properties which have resulted in their exploitation in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications such as bioimaging, biosensors, hyperthermia, targeted drug delivery and photoablation therapy. In this review we investigate the use of these nanosystems in various biomedical applications such as hyperthermia where iron oxide nanoparticles, doped (cobalt, manganese, nickel, and zinc) iron oxide nanoparticles, and bimetallic nanoalloys (Fe-Pt, Fe-Co, and Ni-Cu) are the most commonly investigated nanosystems. For targeted drug delivery the most commonly studied nanosystems include magnetic nanoparticles such as iron oxide, cobalt and zinc ferrites, and metal oxide nanoparticles such as titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, and zinc oxide. The most frequently used nanoparticles as contrast agents for bioimaging include magnetic nanoparticles, for example, iron oxide, cobalt, manganese, nickel, copper and zinc ferrites, bimetallic nanoalloys (Fe-Pt), and metal oxides such as copper oxide and manganese oxide. The most common nanoparticles used in biosensors include metal oxides (copper oxide, manganese oxide, and zinc oxide), bimetallic nanoalloys (Au-Ag, Au-Pd, Au-Ni, Fe-Pd), and magnetic nanoparticles (iron oxide and cobalt and zinc ferrites). For photoablation therapy the most commonly used nanosystems include metal oxide nanoparticles (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide), bimetallic nanoalloys (Au-Ag, Fe-Pt), and magnetic nanoparticles (iron oxide and manganese ferrite). We also explore the biocompatibility, toxicity, and clearance factors need to be taken into consideration before these nanosystems can be considered for use in biomedical applications.