Magnetic field-driven strategies for biofilm disruption : from iron oxide nanoparticles to adaptive swarms of magnetic microrobots

Caf, Maja (author), Esmaeilnejad-Ahranjani, Parvaneh (author), Kološnjaj Tabi, Jelena (author), Sabotič, Jerica (author), Berlec, Aleš (author), Zaveršek, Nika (author), Pajk, Stane (author), Zahirović, Abida (author), Golzio, Muriel (author), Milošević, Irena (author), Kralj, Slavko (author)

Biofilms, structured communities of microbial cells embedded in extracellular polymeric substances, are notorious for their resilience against conventional antimicrobial treatments. They contribute significantly to chronic infections and industrial biofouling, necessitating innovative strategies for their eradication. Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles have emerged as a promising tool in combating biofilms due to their biocompatibility and unique physicochemical properties, which enable magnetic delivery of antibacterial agents, magnetic hyperthermia, magneto-mechanical actuation including mechanical biofilm disruption, and reversible dynamic magnetic assembly into hierarchical structures. This review describes developing stages of magnetic nanoscale weapons against biofilms ranging from individual iron oxide nanoparticles to complex hierarchical nanoparticle assemblies in the form of magnetic robots and their swarms. A vast array of possible antibiofilm and antibacterial functionalities originating from iron ions, individual iron oxide nanoparticles, spherical nanoparticle assemblies, magnetic robots, and swarms of robots are presented. Magnetic nanotools offer significant improvements and advantages over conventional methods for biofilm eradication, yet their successful future applications depend on addressing and overcoming critical material, biological, and engineering challenges.

• Language: English
• Keywords: biofilms, magnetic nanoparticles, magneto-mechanical actuation, microrobots, nanorobots, antibiotic resistance, biofilm eradication, magnetic microrobot swarms, microrobotic superstructures, SPIONs, antimicrobial agents, bacteria, metal oxide nanoparticles, nanoparticles
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.02 - Review Article
• Organization: FFA - Faculty of Pharmacy
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. 34-58
• Numbering: Vol. 20, iss. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177996
• UDC: 620.3
• ISSN on article: 1936-086X
• DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5c14390
• COBISS.SI-ID: 264531459
• Publication date in RUL: 15.01.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: ACS nano
• Shortened title: ACS nano
• Publisher: American Chemical Society
• ISSN: 1936-086X
• COBISS.SI-ID: 513574937

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: biofilmi, magnetni nanodelci, mikroroboti, nanoroboti, protimikrobna odpornost, nanodelci