title: Synthesis and optimization of chitosan nanoparticles: Potential applications in nanomedicine and biomedical engineering.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chitosan nanoparticles have become of great interest for nanomedicine, biomedical engineering and development of new therapeutic drug release systems with improved bioavailability, increased specificity and sensitivity, and reduced pharmacological toxicity. The aim of the present study was to synthesis and optimize of the chitosan nanoparticles for industrial and biomedical applications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fe3O4 was synthesized and optimized as magnetic core nanoparticles and then chitosan covered this magnetic core. The size and morphology of the nano-magnetic chitosan was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Topography and size distribution of the nanoparticles were shown with two-dimensional and three-dimensional images of atomic force microscopy (AFM). The nanoparticles were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The chitosan nanoparticles prepared in the experiment exhibited white powder shape. The SEM micrographs of the nano-magnetic chitosan showed that they were approximately uniform spheres. The unmodified chitosan nanoparticles composed of clusters of nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 10 nm to 80 nm. AFM provides a three-dimensional surface profile. The TEM image showed physical aggregation of the chitosan nanoparticles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that a novel chitosan nanoparticle was successfully synthesized and characterized. It seems that this nanoparticle like the other chitosan nano particles has potential applications for nanomedicine, biomedical engineering, industrial and pharmaceutical fields.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Arezou
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghadi
authors.affiliation: Fatemeh Zahra Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. ; Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Soleiman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahjoub
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tabandeh
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Farid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Talebnia
keywords: Biomedical engineering.; Chitosan; Nanomedicine; Nanoparticle