Single Biogenic Magnetite Nanoparticle Physical Characteristics—A Biological Impact Study (For MagMeet 2012 Participants)

Discovery of biogenic magnetite nanoparticles in living systems, including human brain tissue, raises new questions. Apart from the reasons answering the purpose of ferrimagnetic nanoparticle biomineralization there are also questions about the biophysical interactions. Since single domain magnetite nanoparticles are characteristic for their high magnetic moment, the basic unresolved problem is whether the nanoparticles are able to (directly by their own magnetic field or indirectly through interaction with external magnetic fields) affect biological processes. First, we have studied whether the magnetic gradient field of nanoparticles can affect the ion flow through the neuronal membrane during the transmission of action potential. This was not confirmed. Furthermore, we have studied the interaction energy of nanoparticles with an external magnetic field in comparison with the energy of biological bonds. Translational energy of magnetic gradient can be neglected. Simulation data, however, suggest that the rotational energy of interaction with the static magnetic field exceeds the energy of biological bonds. This confirms the idea of magnetoreception mechanism.