NiCdFe ₂ O ₄ Spinel ferrite: Novel synthesis, insights into the antibacterial mechanism and potential cytotoxic effect

This study synthesized NiCdFe 2 O 4 for medical applications using a co-precipitate method. The nanoparticles were examined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), stability via zeta potential, UV, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. Polycrystalline and elemental identification and optical characteristics were used to investigate the geometry and architecture phase of the nanocomposite. The NiCdFe 2 O 4 nanocomposite was found to be spherical with a crystallite size of less than 2 nm. The structural and magnetic properties were examined using FTIR and X-ray Diffraction. The nanoparticles demonstrated strong quantum confinement effects and superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature. The study tested NiCdFe₂O₄ nanoparticles against six multidrug-resistant and two american type culture collection (ATCC) bacterial strains, with K. pneumoniae being the most resistant. The nanoparticles effectively trapped bacterial infections by binding to areas on the K. pneumoniae surface, damaging the membrane’s structural integrity. The efficiency of capture increased dramatically when the infection duration was increased from 40 to 120 min.