Sample preparation considerations for surface and crystalline properties and ecotoxicity of bare and silica-coated magnetite nanoparticles.

Magnetite (FeO) nanoparticles (NPs) have widely used in various fields, including in medicine, due to their (super)paramagnetic properties. This requires a thorough evaluation of their possible hazardous effects. However, there is no standard procedure for the preparation of oxidation-prone NPs (such as magnetite) before subjecting them to biological assays.