Experimental and Computational Study of Nanoparticle Transport in Agarose Gel

In magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia for cancer treatment, controlling heat deposition and temperature elevations is an immense challenge in clinical applications. In this study, we evaluate magnetic nanofluid transport using agarose gel that has porous structures similar to human tissue by injecting magnetic nanoparticle solution into the extracellular space of gel. The nanofluid distribution in the gel is examined via digital images of the nanofluid spreading in the gel. By adjusting the gel concentration and injection flow rate, the results have demonstrated that a relatively low injection rate leads to a spherically shaped nanofluid distribution in the gels which is desirable for controlling temperature elevations. In parallel to the experimental study, a particle tracking model is developed to study the migration and deposition of nanoparticles in the porous structure under multiple forces including Brownian motion, London-Van der Waals attraction, electrostatic forces, gravitational body force, viscous force, and inertial force. This model allows for the determination of the rate of nanoparticle deposition on the porous structure for various particle sizes, surface potentials, and local fluid velocity. In the future, the information obtained in this study can be used with continuous porous medium theory to predict the evolution of the concentration and deposition profiles of nanoparticles in porous structure during infusion process.