Sol–gel synthesized nanoscale mixed Zn-Mg ferrite as nanoseeds for in vitro magnetic fluid hyperthermia for cancer treatment

The development of advanced nanomaterials for cancer therapy has gained substantial attention for their potential in targeted treatments such as magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH). In this study, we synthesized mixed Zn-Mg ferrite nanoparticles (Zn_0.5Mg_0.5Fe₂O₄) using the sol-gel self-combustion method, with citric acid as the fuel and a metal nitrate-to-fuel ratio of 1:3. The nanoparticles were characterized for their structural, morphological, magnetic, and thermal properties using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). XRD analysis confirmed a single-phase spinel structure with an average crystallite size of ~21 nm. FE-SEM revealed spherical nanoparticles with uniform distribution, while EDAX confirmed the stoichiometric composition. Magnetic measurements showed superparamagnetic behavior, with a saturation magnetization of ~29.9 emu/g, indicating potential for MFH. In vitro studies on L929 and MCF-7 cell lines demonstrated good biocompatibility and significant cytotoxicity towards cancer cells under hyperthermia conditions. These results suggest that Zn_0.5Mg_0.5Fe₂O₄ nanoparticles are promising nanoseeds for non-invasive MFH cancer therapy with minimal side effects.