Magnetic hydrophilic methacrylate-based polymer microspheres designed for polymerase chain reactions applications

Magnetic hydrophilic non-porous P(HEMA-co-EDMA), P(HEMA-co-GMA) and PGMA microspheres were prepared by dispersion (co)polymetization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) or glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) in the presence of several kinds of magnetite. It was found that some components used in the preparation of magnetic carriers interfered with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Influence of non-magnetic and magnetic microspheres, including magnetite nanoparticles and various components used in their synthesis, on the PCR course was thus investigated. DNA isolated from bacterial cells of Bifidobacterium longum was used in PCR evaluation of non-interfering magnetic microspheres. The method enabled verification of the incorporation of magnetite nanoparticles in the particular methacrylate-based polymer microspheres and evaluation of suitability of their application in PCR. Preferably, electrostatically stabilized colloidal magnetite (ferrofluid) should be used in the design of new magnetic methacrylate-based microspheres by dispersion polymerization. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.