SUL-121

Glycation-induced stress (G-iS) is a physiological phenomenon that leads to the formation of advanced glycation end-products, triggering detrimental effects such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and damage to intracellular structures, tissues, and organs. This process is particularly relevant because it has been associated with various human pathologies, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes. As therapeutic alternatives, coordination compounds with antioxidant activity show promising potential due to their versatility in attenuating oxidative stress and inflammation. Herein, we investigated the antioxidant-related protective potential of a series of complexes: [Cu(II)(BMPA)Cl2] (1), [Fe(III)(BMPA)Cl3] (2), and [Cl(BMPA)MnII-(μ-Cl)2-MnII(BMPA)-(μ-Cl)- MnII(BMPA)(Cl)2]•5H2O (3), all synthesized with the ligand bis-(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (BMPA) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae exposed to G-iS caused by methylglyoxal (MG). Pre- treatment with complexes 1–3 proved highly effective, increasing yeast tolerance to G-iS and attenuating mitochondrial dysfunction. This observed phenotype appears to result from a reduction in intracellular oxidation, lipid peroxidation levels, and glycation. Additionally, an increase in the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase was observed following treatment with complexes 1–3. Notably, although complexes 1–3 provided significant protection against oxidative stress induced by H2O2 and menadione, their protective role was more effective against MG-induced glycation stress. Our results indicate that these complexes possess both antiglycation and antioxidant properties, warranting further investigation as potential interventions for mitigating glycation and oxidative stress-related pathologies.

Rising plastic consumption leads to widespread microplastic (MP) contamination. Raman spectroscopy is widely used for MP identification due to its ability to analyse particles as small as 1 μm. However, it faces challenges such as interference from pigments and additives. In this study, we aim to assess the accuracy of Raman micro-spectroscopy in identifying coloured plastic samples by applying various oxidative treatments to eliminate the possible interference effect caused by colourants associated with the sample. Standard and coloured microplastics were analysed using a Raman imaging microscope. Coloured plastics were treated with H₂O₂ 30%, Sodium hypochlorite 5%, and Fenton reagent (H2O2 30% and Ferrous sulphate 0.2 M) for 24, 48, and 72 h. The Raman spectra were acquired after treatment to assess the impact of the treatment procedure on the polymer identification. Our results revealed that colourants significantly impact Raman spectra by peak broadening and/or fluorescence effects, which reduces identification accuracy and match scores Red pigments particularly obscure polymer identification. Treatments like oxidation and Fenton's reagent showed limited effectiveness. Additives in plastic samples can affect the accuracy of polymer identification by the Raman spectroscopy technique. Common treatment procedures do not improve the accuracy of identification. In order to improve the reliability of Raman analysis, essential factors such as utilizing multiple excitation lasers and appropriate CCD detectors, establishing a comprehensive reference library of colourants and additives, and employing advanced techniques like time-gated Raman spectroscopy or Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) should be considered.