Synthesis of mesoporous cobalt ferrite/hydroxyapatite core-shell nanocomposite for magnetic hyperthermia and drug release applications

In this study, cobalt ferrite/hydroxyapatite nanocomposite was developed by a new approach to design a uniform core-shell combination. The prepared powders were characterized by different techniques such as Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analyses, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). TEM micrographs showed the formation of a uniform core/shell structure with a particle size of about 85$\pm 65$ nm. The controlled drug release experiments showed that the samples have a good drug loading capability and controlled delivery ability up to 50 h. Moreover, with different magnetic fields or different cobalt ferrite ratios to hydroxyapatite, it is possible to manipulate the amount of produced heat, making this composite promising for various kinds of magnetic hyperthermia-based treatment. Cytotoxicity of the nanocomposite was evaluated by MTT assay using MG63 cells. MTT and VSM results revealed that incorporating hydroxyapatite on cobalt ferrite nanoparticles' surface significantly increases cell compatibility, whereas it reduces magnetization saturation. The results suggest that cobalt ferrite/hydroxyapatite nanocomposite with multifunctionality and uniform structure has a great capability to be applied for medical uses.     

Faujasite zeolite decorated with cobalt ferrite nanoparticles for improving removal and reuse in Pb2+ ions adsorption

Water pollution caused by heavy metals ions has been gaining attention in recent years, increasing the interest in the development of methodologies for their efficient removal focusing on the adsorption process for these purposes. The current challenge faced by adsorption processes is the adequate adsorbent immobilization for removal and reuse. Thus, the present work aimed at producing a faujasite zeolite nanocomposite decorated with cobalt ferrite nanoparticles for Pb~(2+) ions adsorption in an aqueous medium improving magnetic removal and reuse.As a result, a high surface area(434.4 m~2·g~(-1)) for the nanocomposite and an 18.93 emu·g~(-1) saturation magnetization value were obtained, indicating magnetic removal in a promising material for adsorption process. The nanocomposite regeneration capacity evaluated by magnetic recovery after 24 h suspension presented a high Pb~(2+) ion adsorptive capacity(98.4%) in the first cycle. Around 98% of the Pb~(2+) ions were adsorbed in the second cycle. In this way, the synthesized faujasite:cobalt ferrite nanocomposite reveals itself as a promising alternative in adsorption processes, aiming at a synergic effect of FAU zeolite high adsorptive activity and the cobalt ferrite nanoparticles magnetic activity, allowing for adsorbent recovery from the aqueous medium via magnetic force and successive adsorptive cycles.     

Fabrication of a Novel Biocompatible Magnetic Biomaterial with Hyperthermia Potential

Preparation and characterization of a novel biocompatible magnetic biomaterial having hyperthermia potential is reported in this study. Fe³⁺ and Ni²⁺ (2:1) cosubstituted hydroxyapatite nanoparticles were synthesized by simple wet precipitation method followed by freeze‐drying which on heat treatment at 1150°C yielded the above mentioned biocompatible magnetic biomaterial composed of hydroxyapatite and β‐tricalcium phosphate along with nickel ferrite. The product was characterized by X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscope along with composition analysis. The magnetic behavior was analyzed by vibrating sample magnetometer and biocompatibility was assessed by testing the toxicity on Hela cells using MTT assay. The hyperthermia potential of the material was studied using induction heating. The prepared material has the potential to generate sufficient heat that could be easily controlled by magnetic field parameters and amount of sample. Hence, it can be a potential candidate for making implantable thermoseed for hyperthermia treatment.     

Wet chemical route synthesis of Cr doped CoFe2O4 @rGO nanocomposite for photodegradation of organic effluents present in drinking water

The current work comprises of the fabrication of spinel cobalt ferrite (CF1), and chromium doped cobalt ferrite (CF2) by wet chemical method (co-precipitation). Moreover, the nanocomposite of Cr-doped cobalt ferrite with reduced graphene oxide (CF3) was fabricated by an ultra-sonication method. The structural, functional, morphological, and optical or photocatalytic properties of prepared photocatalysts i.e. CF1, CF2, CF3 were determined by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, and UV–Visible spectroscopy techniques respectively. The present work deals with the removal of an organic dye (Rhodamine B), and a colorless compound (Benzoic acid) from waste water using photocatalysts CF1, CF2, and CF3. Using CF3 (Cr-CoFe₂O₄@rGO) as photocatalytic material, 81% degradation of rhodamine B, and 67% of benzoic acid was observed. CF3 exhibited remarkable photocatalytic degradation activity than CF1 (43%) and CF2 (53%) against rhodamine B. Moreover, CF3 also showed outstanding degradation efficiency (67%) against benzoic acid than pure cobalt ferrite i.e. CF1 (46%). The outstanding removal efficacy of CF3 nanocomposite was due to the 2D structure, high/massive surface area and increased capacity to transport electrons of reduced graphene oxide (rGO).     

Effect of lemon juice on microstructure,phase changes,and magnetic performance of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles and their use on release of anti-cancer drugs

Cobalt ferrite magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized and developed by a modified Pechini method using iron nitrate, cobalt nitrate, ethylene glycol (EG), and sucrose with different volumes of lemon juice (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 ml) as the source of chelating agent as well as nonmagnetic elements such as Ca and Mg ions. The XRD patterns confirmed that all samples synthesized by different contents of extracted lemon juice had a cubic crystal structure with single-phase spinel. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that cobalt ferrite nanoparticles had a semi-spherical morphology. Also, the vibrating sample magnetometer indicated that the saturation magnetization of CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles prepared with different values of extracted lemon juice increased from 18.6 emu/g for 10 ml extracted lemon juice to 75.7 emu/g for 50 ml extracted lemon juice, after which the saturation magnetization diminished. Afterwards, the CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and doxorubicin (DOX) drugs, whereby drug delivery was detected at different pH levels. The CoFe₂O₄-PEG-DOX nanocomposite could release doxorubicin by more than 42% at pH = 5.4 in 75 h.     

Acid‐sensitive magnetic nanoparticles as potential drug depots

Superparamagnetic magnetic nanoparticles were successfully functionalized with poly(methacrylic acid) via atom transfer radical polymerization, followed by conjugation to doxorubicin (Dox). Because of pH‐sensitive hydrazone linkages, the rate and extent of Dox release from the particles was higher at a lower pH and/or a higher temperature than at physiological conditions. Appropriate changes to the pH and temperature can increase the drug release from the particles. Because of the released drug, the particles were found to be cytotoxic to human breast cancer cells in vitro. Such magnetic nanoparticles, with the potential to retain drug under physiological conditions and release the drug in conditions where the pH is lower or temperature is higher, may be useful in magnetic drug targeting by reducing the side effects of the drug caused to healthy tissues. In addition, they may serve as hyperthermia agents where the high temperatures used in hyperthermia can trigger further drug release. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011     

Magnetic liposomes for colorectal cancer cells therapy by high-frequency magnetic field treatment

In this study, we developed the cancer treatment through the combination of chemotherapy and thermotherapy using doxorubicin-loaded magnetic liposomes. The citric acid-coated magnetic nanoparticles (CAMNP, ca. 10 nm) and doxorubicin were encapsulated into the liposome (HSPC/DSPE/cholesterol = 12.5:1:8.25) by rotary evaporation and ultrasonication process. The resultant magnetic liposomes (ca. 90 to 130 nm) were subject to characterization including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer, and fluorescence microscope. In vitro cytotoxicity of the drug carrier platform was investigated through 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay using L-929 cells, as the mammalian cell model. In vitro cytotoxicity and hyperthermia (inductive heating) studies were evaluated against colorectal cancer (CT-26 cells) with high-frequency magnetic field (HFMF) exposure. MTT assay revealed that these drug carriers exhibited no cytotoxicity against L-929 cells, suggesting excellent biocompatibility. When the magnetic liposomes with 1 μM doxorubicin was used to treat CT-26 cells in combination with HFMF exposure, approximately 56% cells were killed and found to be more effective than either hyperthermia or chemotherapy treatment individually. Therefore, these results show that the synergistic effects between chemotherapy (drug-controlled release) and hyperthermia increase the capability to kill cancer cells.     

Synthesis of mesoporous CuFe2O4@SiO2 core-shell nanocomposite for simultaneous drug release and hyperthermia applications

In the present work, magnetic CuFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized through a sol-gel combustion. The synthesized CuFe₂O₄ were coated with mesoporous SiO₂. The synthesized CuFe₂O₄@SiO₂ nanocomposite was investigated for drug release and hyperthermia applications. The products were studied by X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, simultaneous thermal analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer. TEM images showed the formation of silica coating with a thickness of 14 nm around copper ferrite. The surface area of the samples increases from 2.59 to 199.2 m²/g after the surface modification of ferrites nanoparticles with silica. The CuFe₂O₄@SiO₂ exhibited high ibuprofen loading and controlled drug release. These improvements resulted from the nanocomposite's mesoporous structure and high surface area. Coating CuFe₂O₄ nanoparticles with mesoporous silica reduced the cytotoxicity and improved drug release properties. However, this coating reduced the hyperthermia ability. The formed CuFe₂O₄@SiO₂ nanocomposites show high potential for simultaneous drug release and hyperthermia applications with prospective use for biomedical applications.     

Production of hydroxyapatite-based adsorbent for the removal of cobalt ions from the aqueous solution

The aim of the current study was to recover and separate cobalt ions from multielement solution, using hydroxyapatite (HAp) and magnetic nanocomposite of HAp/Fe₃O₄ as adsorbents. Cobalt ion adsorption process was conducted batchwise within the temperature 25˗55°C, exposure duration 5˗120 min by applying a dose of 0.25–5 g/L as the adsorbent at pH 2 to 9.  Adsorbent characterization was performed using advanced spectroscopic techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The maximum ionic adsorption efficiency using HAp was 90.48% against 94.72% in the case of the magnetic nanocomposite of HAp, under optimal conditions. Various isotherm models were used to evaluate the adsorption capacity and equilibrium coefficients for adsorption of the cobalt ions by the prepared adsorbents. The isotherm models data showed that the adsorption process is desirable by the adsorbents and by adding nanoparticles of Fe₃O₄ the adsorption capacity improves.     

A multiple emulsion method for loading 5‐fluorouracil into a magnetite‐loaded nanocapsule: a physicochemical investigation

The preparation of 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) loaded poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) biodegradable nanocapsules containing magnetite nanoparticles was studied through the modified multiple emulsion solvent evaporation method for magnetically controlled delivery of anticancer drugs. The morphology and size distribution of the prepared magnetite/PLGA nanocapsules were investigated by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The micrographs showed that the magnetic nanocapsules were almost spherical in shape and their mean diameter was in the nanometer range with a narrow size distribution. Fourier transform infrared and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy confirmed incorporation of 5‐FU molecules into the PLGA matrix. The magnetite content was assessed by thermogravimetric and magnetometry analysis and the results showed a magnetite content of 35 wt% with high magnetic responsivity. Magnetometry measurements showed superparamagnetic properties of the magnetic nanocapsules with a saturation magnetization of 13.7 emu g^?1. Such biodegradable magnetic nanocapsules could be considered as an appropriate choice for drug targeting. Furthermore, the influence of some important processing parameters such as PLGA concentration, initial loading of 5‐FU and poly(vinyl alcohol) concentration on drug content, encapsulation efficiency and in vitro drug release kinetics was investigated and optimized. The drug content and encapsulation efficiency of the magnetic nanocapsules were 4–7 wt% and 60%–80%, respectively, and the nanocapsules demonstrated controlled release of 5‐FU at 37 °C in a buffer solution. All samples exhibited a burst release at the initial stage and this burst release showed its close dependence on the formulation parameters. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Calcium phosphate granules for use as a 5-Fluorouracil delivery system

The possibility of tailoring apatite granules as a controlled release system for the drug model 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) has been examined. Apatite granules (SDG) were obtained by spray drying suspensions of hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles previously precipitated from citrate solutions [M.A. Martins, C. Santos, M.E.V. Costa, M.M. Almeida, Preparation of porous hydroxyapatite particles to be used as drug delivery systems, Advanced Materials Forum II (455) (2004) 353–357]. SDG had donut shape and very high specific surface area (150 m²/g) indicative of high porosity. SDG were poorly crystalline HAP but turned into biphasic granules (HSDG) with crystalline tricalcium phosphate and HAP after annealing at 800 °C, while reducing their surface area down to ∼6 m²/g. SDG and HSDG were soaked in a 5FU solution at pH 5.2 and room temperature during several days and then transferred to a phosphate buffered solution (PBS) at pH 7.4 and 37 °C, for releasing 5FU. The comparison between the 5FU adsorbing and releasing behaviours exhibited by SDG and HSDG shows that engineering the granules characteristics, i.e. specific surface area, surface chemical composition, porosity and crystal phase composition allows the 5FU release profile to be controlled.     

Functionalized chitosan with super paramagnetic hybrid nanocarrier for targeted drug delivery of curcumin

Recently, hydrophobically functionalized polymers have been deployed as carriers to improve the encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs. The metal nanocomposites are extensively used to improve the biocompatibility of the formulation and target the drug to the specialized site. In our current study, naphthalene acetate (NAA) was incorporated into the amine group of chitosan to form a hydrophobically functionalized chitosan–NAA drug delivery carrier. The calcium ferrite nanoparticles (CFNP) were embedded in the chitosan–NAA matrix to form a super paramagnetic hybrid nanocarrier for controlled curcumin drug delivery. Various analytical techniques were performed to ensure the functional group modifications, thermal stability, surface nature and morphological behavior of synthesized hybrid carriers. The maximum encapsulation efficiency of 93.6% was obtained under the optimized conditions of drug to chitosan–NAA at 0.1, CFNP to chitosan–NAA at 0.75 and TPP to chitosan–NAA at 1.0 (w/w) ratios, respectively, by adapting Taguchi method. Drug release studies were conducted to determine the effect of pH, drug loading concentrations and magnetic field responses. The drug release data were fitted to various kinetic release models to understand the drug release mechanism. The biocompatibility of the hybrid material was tested using L929 mouse fibroblast cells. The cytotoxicity test against breast cancer cells (MCF-7) was also performed to study the anticancer property of the hybrid paramagnetic material. The prepared curcumin-loaded chitosan–NAA/CFNP was very active against cancer cells in comparison to the normal cells. The results confirmed the applicability of the hybrid nanocarriers in cancer cell-targeted drug delivery.     

A bio-inspired gelatin-based pH- and thermal-sensitive magnetic hydrogel for in vitro chemo/hyperthermia treatment of breast cancer cells

Gelatin (Gel)-based pH- and thermal-responsive magnetic hydrogels (MH-1 and MH-2) were designed and developed as novel drug delivery systems (DDSs) for cancer chemo/hyperthermia therapy. For this goal, Gel was functionalized with methacrylic anhydride (GelMA), and then copolymerized with (2-dimethylaminoethyl) methacrylate (DMAEMA) monomer in the presence of methacrylate-end capped magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as well as triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA; as crosslinker). Afterward, a thiol-end capped poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm-SH) was synthesized through an atom transfer radical polymerization technique, and then attached onto the hydrogel through “thiol-ene” click grafting. The preliminary performances of developed MHs for chemo/hyperthermia therapy of human breast cancer was investigated through the loading of doxorubicin hydrochloride (Dox) as an anticancer agent followed by cytotoxicity measurement of drug-loaded DDSs using MTT assay by both chemo- and chemo/hyperthermia-therapies. Owing to porous morphologies of the fabricated magnetic hydrogels according to scanning electron microscopy images and strong physicochemical interactions (e.g., hydrogen bonding) the drug loading capacities of the MH-1 and MH-2 were obtained as 72 ± 1.4 and 77 ± 1.8, respectively. The DDSs exhibited acceptable pH- and thermal-triggered drug release behaviors. The MTT assay results revealed that the combination of hyperthermia therapy and chemotherapy has synergic effect on the anticancer activities of the developed DDSs.     

Supercritical carbon dioxide–assisted synthesis of stimuli-responsive magnetic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)–ferrite biocompatible nanocomposites for targeted and controlled drug delivery

Supercritical carbon dioxide–assisted synthesis of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)–ferrite nanocomposites was carried out by polymerization reaction of N-isopropyl acrylamide monomer in the presence of ferrite nanoparticles. They were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry analysis. Drug loading and release profiles were studied. Nanomaterials showed pH-dependent drug release profile. Polymer nanocomposites in comparison to ferrite nanoparticles showed impressive drug release activity, with a release percent of 20.98–76.54%, and greater biocompatibility in breast cancer cells, with a cell viability of 81–93%. This pH-dependent drug release activity and magnetic property of polymer nanocomposites can be used for controlled and targeted drug delivery.     

Chitosan–poly(aminopropyl/phenylsilsesquioxane) hybrid nanocomposite membranes for antibacterial and drug delivery applications

We fabricated hybrid (CSSQ) membranes from chitosan and poly(aminopropyl/phenylsilsesquioxane) (PAPSQ) blends via a sol–gel reaction and solution casting followed by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde. The CSSQ membranes were then used for loading of 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) as an anticancer drug as well as templates for the production of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The physicochemical properties of the CSSQ membranes were examined using UV‐visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM results showed the controllable formation of AgNPs around PAPSQ. CSSQ–Ag nanocomposite membranes exhibited good antibacterial activity towards both Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, while the CSSQ membranes worked as good carriers for controlled release of 5‐FU as model drug. The results suggest that both CSSQ and CSSQ–Ag nanocomposite membranes can be potentially applied for biomedical applications such as controlled release carriers as well as antibacterial wound dressing materials. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

Magnetic lamellar nanohydroxyapatite as a novel nanocarrier for controlled delivery of 5-fluorouracil

Magnetic nanoparticles are attractive carriers for drug delivery and layered materials intercalated by drug molecules exhibit improved safety and effectiveness of drug delivery. In this work, we report the loading of a model anticancer drug, 5-fluorouracil (5FU), into a magnetic layered nanohydroxyapatite (ML-HAP) by intercalation technique. The as-prepared ML-HAP nanoparticles with loaded 5FU were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and vibrating sample magnetometer. We find that, within a certain drug concentration, the drug molecules can be intercalated into the gallery of ML-HAP without breaking its lamellar structure. The drug loading capacity of ML-HAP is extremely large. The drug release profiles display pH-dependent behavior and the drug release mechanisms are a combination of drug diffusion and HAP dissolution. Furthermore, ML-HAP/5FU shows strong superparamagnetism and good biocompatibility. The ML-HAP can be an efficient platform for targeted anticancer drug delivery.     

Embedded of Nanogel into Multi-responsive Hydrogel Nanocomposite for Anticancer Drug Delivery

Hydrogels, nanogels, and nanocomposites show increasing potential for application in drug delivery systems due to their good chemical and physical properties. Therefore, we were encouraged to combine them to produce a new compound with unique properties for drug release systems. To this aim, we first prepared poly [(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-(2-dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate) nanogel by copolymerization processes and then added it into the solution of poly (2-dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate)] grafted onto salep. Through dropwise addition of mixed aqueous solution of iron salts into the prepared polymeric solution, a novel hydrogel nanocomposite with excellent pH, thermo, and magnetic responsive was fabricated. The obtained hydrogel nanocomposite were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermo gravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, and atomic force micrographs. The dependence of swelling properties of hydrogel nanocomposite on the temperature, pH, and magnetic field were investigated. The release behavior of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) drug from DOX loaded into synthesized hydrogel nanocomposite was investigated at different pHs, temperatures, and magnetic field. In addition, the drug release behavior from obtained hydrogel nanocomposite was monitored via different kinetic models. Lastly, the toxicity of the DOX and DOX-loaded hydrogel nanocomposite were studied on MCF-7 cells at different times. These results suggested that the obtained hydrogel nanocomposite might have high potential applications in drug delivery systems.     

Simple and Rapid Synthesis of Magnetite/Hydroxyapatite Composites for Hyperthermia Treatments via a Mechanochemical Route

This paper presents a simple method for the rapid synthesis of magnetite/hydroxyapatite composite particles. In this method, superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles are first synthesized by coprecipitation using ferrous chloride and ferric chloride. Immediately following the synthesis, carbonate-substituted (B-type) hydroxyapatite particles are mechanochemically synthesized by wet milling dicalcium phosphate dihydrate and calcium carbonate in a dispersed suspension of magnetite nanoparticles, during which the magnetite nanoparticles are incorporated into the hydroxyapatite matrix. We observed that the resultant magnetite/hydroxyapatite composites possessed a homogeneous dispersion of magnetite nanoparticles, characterized by an absence of large aggregates. When this material was subjected to an alternating magnetic field, the heat generated increased with increasing magnetite concentration. For a magnetite concentration of 30 mass%, a temperature increase greater than 20 K was achieved in less than 50 s. These results suggest that our composites exhibit good hyperthermia properties and are promising candidates for hyperthermia treatments.     

Anisotropy investigation of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles embedded in polyvinyl alcohol matrix: A Monte Carlo study

The magnetic properties of the cobalt ferrite/polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposites have been studied experimentally and theoretically. For investigation the impact of polymeric matrix on magnetic properties of magnetic nanoparticles, four different processes have been considered for synthesizing the polymer based nanocomposites by co-precipitation method. The effective magnetic anisotropy obtained by Monte Carlo simulation and law of approach to the saturation magnetization showed a significant decrease relative to the bulk and bare cobalt ferrite nanoparticles. The polymeric matrix interacted with the surface of particles by different strength and made them approximately non-interacting. The as synthesized samples characterized by X-Ray diffractions (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Magnetic measurements were carried out at room temperature using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM).     

Dual responsive polymeric bionanocomposite gel beads for controlled drug release systems

Scientists are searching potential solutions for cancer treatments as well as ways to avoid the side effects of anti‐cancer agents, via targeted drug delivery. The aim of this research is to propose dual responsive beads based on sodium alginate (SA), methylcellulose (MC), and magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs) for controlled release of 5‐Fluorouracil (5‐FU) as model drug. The beads were prepared by the dual crosslinking of SA and MC in the presence of MIONs. The structural, thermal, morphological, magnetic characteristics as well as the release profile of 5‐FU were studied. The characterization results showed that the drug molecules and MIONs were well dispersed in the polymeric matrix. The cumulative release percentage was ca. 80% at pH = 4.2 and 40% at pH = 7.2 after 6 h. Thus, the sensitivity of beads on the pH value was verified. Moreover, the release profile exhibited reduction with an increase in the concentration of MIONs under an external magnetic field. The obtained results confirmed the dual sensitive release of 5‐FU (i.e., PH/magnetic) that can be used for the targeted and controlled drug delivery systems. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45143.