Contamination by hazardous elements in low-priced children's plastic toys bought on the local markets of Karachi, Pakistan.

Children's plastic toys may contain toxic metals to which infants and young children can be orally exposed and may pose acute or chronic adverse health effects. This research aims to evaluate the total metal concentrations (TMCs) of Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, and Mn in children's plastic toys bought in the local markets of Karachi, Pakistan, and compare TMCs to different toy safety regulatory limits. A total of 44 children's plastic toys sourced in the Karachi local markets were analyzed by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer for contamination of hazardous elements.

Antifungal activity of silver nanoparticles from Aspergillus niger.

In recent years, silver nanoparticles have gained attention because of their high surface area to volume ratio that makes them more advantageous than their bulky counterparts. Apart of chemical and physical methods of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) production, green synthesis is being exploited by the researchers. Aspergillus niger are among some fungi being used in fabrication of silver nanoparticles and their antifungal activities are being studied.

Metal-based biologically active compounds: Synthesis, spectral and antioxidant studies of transition metal complexes with hydrazone derivatives.

New series of Co+2, Ni+2, Cu+2 and Zn+2 complexes have been synthesized using a bio-active hydrazone compound 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde-N-(5-chloro-2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-ylidene), abbreviated as [HL]. Complexes were characterized using elemental analysis, FT-IR, UV-visible spectroscopy conductivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements. Results showed that the bi-dentate [HL] coordinated in a square planner manner with Cu while for the rest of the M ions, it coordinated in a octahedral fashion.