Enteric Theophylline Delivery by a New Type of Polymer‐Grafted Magnetic Nanoparticles

ABSTRACTMagnetite nanoparticles was synthesized and then grafted with polymer containing iminodiacetic acid for an interaction of theophylline. The resulted grafted magnetic nanosorbent was characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of sorption parameters such as sample pH, temperature, and contact time on sorption of theophylline were considered. The sorption capacity of functionalized sorbent was 27 mg g−1. The profile of the theophylline uptake by the magnetic nanosorbent reflects good accessibility of the active sites in the grafted polymer. The equilibrium adsorption data of theophylline on grafted magnetic nanosorbent was analyzed by Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Redlich–Peterson. Nearly 75% of theophylline was released in simulated gastric fluid pH 1.2 in 110 min and 88% in simulated intestinal fluid pH 7.4 in 30 h. These results have shown the utility of the theophylline loaded‐grafted magnetite nanoparticles for enteric drug delivery.