Methods and pharmaceutical formulations for ameliorating heavy metal toxicity and/or oxidative stress are disclosed comprising administering pharmaceutically effective amounts of ligands according to the present disclosure. The ligands are of the general structure: (I) or (II) where R comprises benzene pyridine pyridin 4 one naphthalene anthracene phenanthrene or alkyl groups R comprises hydrogen alkyls. aryls a carboxyl group carboxylate esters organic groups or biological groups R comprises alkyls aryls a carboxyl group carboxylate esters organic groups or biological groups X comprises hydrogen lithium sodium potassium rubidium cesium francium alkyls aryls a carboxyl group carboxylate esters thiophosphate N acetyl cysteine mercaptoacetic acid mercaptopropionic acid thiolsalicylate organic groups or biological groups n independently equals 1 10 m = 1 6 Y comprises hydrogen polymers silicas or silica supported substrates and Z comprises hydrogen alkyls aryls a carboxyl group carboxylate esters a hydroxyl group NH HSO halogens a carbonyl group organic groups biological groups polymers silicas or silica supported substrates.
