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Three new asymmetric platinum(II) complexes comprising an isopropylamine ligand trans to an azole ligand were synthesized and fully characterized by 1 H NMR, 195 Pt NMR, IR and elemental analysis. In addition the X-ray crystal structure of all three complexes was determined. The reaction kinetics of the complexes with DNA model base guanosine-5 0 -monophosphate (GMP) was studied, revealing reaction kinetics comparable to cisplatin. To gain insight in the complexes as potential antitumor agents, cytotoxicity assays were performed on a variety of human tumor cell lines. These assays showed the complexes all to possess cytotoxicity profiles comparable to cisplatin. Furthermore, the complexes largely retain their activity in a human ovarian carcinoma cell line resistant to cisplatin, A2780R, compared to the cisplatin sensitive parent cell line A2780. These results are of fundamental importance, illustrating how platinum complexes of trans geometry can show improved activity compared to cisplatin in both cisplatin sensitive and cisplatin resistant cell lines.

In a circular economy strategy, waste resources can be used for the biological production of high added-value substances, such as medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), thus minimising waste and favouring a sustainable process. This study investigates single-stage fermentation processes for the production of MCFAs in a semi-continuous reactor treating the extract of real food waste (FW), without the addition of external electron donors. Two sequential acidogenic fermentation tests were carried out at an organic loading rate (OLR) of 5 and 15 gCOD L−1d−1 with a hydraulic retention time of 4 days and pH controlled at 6 ± 0.2. The highest level of caproate (4.8 g L−1) was observed at OLR of 15 gCOD L−1d−1 with a microbiome mainly composed by lactate-producing Actinomyces, Atopobium, and Olsenella species and caproate-producing Pseudoramibacter. Metagenomic analysis revealed the presence of key enzymes for the production of lactate, such as lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate ferredoxin oxidoreductase, as well as several enzymes involved in the reverse β-oxidation pathway, thus suggesting the occurrence of a lactate-based chain elongation process.

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