Crystal structure of tris­(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline-κ2N,N′)cobalt(III) tris­(hexa­fluoro­phosphate) monohydrate

The title compound, [Co(C72H48N6)](PF6)3·H2O, crystallizes with one tripositive complex mol­ecule, three hexa­fluoro­phosphate anions and one solvent mol­ecule of water in the asymmetric unit. The N6 coordination set around the central CoIII atom defines a distorted octa­hedral environment. Four fluorine atoms of one hexa­fluoro­phosphate anion are disordered over two sets of positions with site-occupancy factors of 0.697 (5) and 0.303 (5). In the crystal, inter­molecular π–π stacking inter­actions, C—H...π, C—H...F and O—H...F and inter­actions are present

Structurally Simple Osmium(II) Polypyridyl Complexes as Photosensitizers for Photodynamic Therapy in the Near Infrared**

Five osmium(II) polypyridyl complexes of the general formula [Os(4,7‐diphenyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline)$_{2}$L]$^{2+}$ were synthesized as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy by varying the nature of the ligand L. Thanks to the pronounced π‐extended structure of the ligands and the heavy atom effect provided by the osmium center, these complexes exhibit a high absorption in the near‐infrared (NIR) region (up to 740 nm), unlike related ruthenium complexes. This led to a promising phototoxicity in vitro against cancer cells cultured as 2D cell layers but also in multicellular tumor spheroids upon irradiation at 740 nm. The complex [Os(4,7‐diphenyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline)$_{2}$(2,2′‐bipyridine)]$^{2+}$ was found to be the most efficient against various cancer cell lines, with high phototoxicity indexes. Experiments on CT26 tumor‐bearing BALB/c mice also indicate that the Os$^{II}$ complexes could significantly reduce tumor growth following 740 nm laser irradiation. The high phototoxicity in the biological window of this structurally simple complex makes it a promising photosensitizer for cancer treatment

Toxic Metals (Pb and Cd) and Their Respective Antagonists (Ca and Zn) in Infant Formulas and Milk Marketed in Brasilia, Brazil

In non-ideal scenarios involving partial or non-breastfeeding, cow’s milk-based dairy products are mainstream in infant feeding. Therefore, it is important to study the concentrations of potentially neurotoxic contaminants (Pb and Cd) and their respective counteracting elements (Ca and Zn) in infant dairy products. Fifty-five brands of infant formulas and milk sold in Brasilia, Brazil were analyzed. The dairy products came from areas in the central-west (26%), southeast (29%) and south of Brazil (36%) extending as far as Argentina (7%) and the Netherlands (2%). For toxic Pb and Cd, median concentrations in powdered samples were 0.109 mg/kg and 0.033 mg/kg, respectively; in fluid samples median Pb concentration was 0.084 mg/kg, but median Cd concentration was below the limit of detection and overall values were below reference safety levels. However, 62% of these samples presented higher Pb concentration values than those established by FAO/WHO. Although the inverse correlation between Cd and Zn (Spearman r = −0.116; P = 0.590) was not statistically significant, the positive correlation between Ca and Pb was (Spearman r = 0.619; P < 0.0001). Additionally, there was a significant correlation between Pb and Cd. Furthermore, the study also revealed that provision of the essential trace element Zn in infant formulas can provide adequate amounts of the recommended daily requirements. Infant formulas and milk sold for consumption by infants and children can be an efficient tool to monitor neurotoxic metal risk exposure among young children

Lead, Cadmium and Cobalt (Pb, Cd, and Co) Leaching of Glass-Clay Containers by pH Effect of Food

Recent studies have shown that handcrafted glass-clay containers are a health risk because they can be contaminated by heavy metals, which can be transferred to food, thus reaching the human body to potentially cause illness. Therefore, in the present work, we evaluate the leaching of lead, cadmium, and cobalt from glass-clay containers into two types of food: tomato sauce (salsa), and chickpea puree. The containers were obtained from four regions in the Mexican state of Hidalgo. Repetitive extractions from the containers were carried out to quantify the leaching of the heavy metals into the salsa, the chickpea puree, and acetic acid using the technique proposed by the USFDA. The results show that greater use of the containers leads to more leaching of heavy metals into both types of food and into the acetic acid, with the greatest metal extraction recorded for the Ixmiquilpan vessels. These results indicate that the metals present in the glass-clay containers leach into the food and that increased reuse increases the risk to the people who use them in food preparation