Functionalized magnetic nanoparticles as chemosensors and adsorbents for toxic metal ions in environmental and biological fields.

Functionalized magnetic nanoparticles, composed of both inorganic and organic components, have recently been examined as promising platforms for detection and separation applications. This unique class of nanomaterials can retain not only beneficial features of both the inorganic and organic components, but can also provide the ability to systematically tune the properties of the hybrid materials through the combination of appropriate functional components. This tutorial review focuses on the recent development of functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for use in biological and environmental applications, in which these chromogenic and fluorogenic chemosensors can selectively detect and separate specific toxic metal ions. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011