No abstract

The combustion properties of natural DNA mixed with the nature-derived thermoplastic cellulose acetate (CA) were determined. The flame retarding properties of DNA in mixtures with CA were significant and concentration dependent, the higher the DNA content the better the flame retardation. Ammonia was detected during the heating of CA-DNA mixtures. In contrast, carbon monoxide (CO) formation was distinctly reduced during combustion of the CA mixtures with DNA when compared with pure CA. Thus, DNA can be considered as a natural and re-growing polymeric flameretardant for versatile applications of CA-based thermoplastic polymers in order to form eco-friendly polymer mixtures.

Gold(I) complexes carrying imidazole‐2‐ylidene ligands and ferrocene substituents were prepared. Their activities against protozoal Leishmania major and Toxoplasma gondii parasites were analyzed. Certain gold(I) complexes with chlorido and 1,1′‐bis(triphenylphosphino)ferrocene ligands revealed promising antiparasitic effects. The new chlorido complexes 5b and 5c showed high activities against T. gondii tachyzoites and L. major promastigotes while the new ferrocene‐bridged bis‐gold(I) complexes 8a and 8b were particularly active against L. major amastigotes and considerably selective as to toxicity results from Vero cells and macrophages.