What is ionic liquid toxicity?

Loading… Interest in ionic liquid (IL) toxicity began in the early 2000s. The physical and chemical properties of ILs, together with their negligible vapor pressure and bulk nonflammability, suggest them as potential green solvents and as alternative solvents in many chemical processes.

Are ionic solvents toxic?

The term “green solvent,” which is a synonym for ionic liquids, is often confused with “non-toxic”. However, we have outlined in this perspective that ionic liquids are not necessarily non-toxic, rather, depending on their structure, they may be more toxic than organic solvents.

Which ionic liquid is less toxic?

Ionic liquids composed of bio-derived ions (sometimes called bionic liquids) are expected to be less toxic. Bio-derived cations are not many in number, and therefore, choline cations are often used.

Are all ionic liquids as toxic as [C 8 MIM]CL?

However, not all ionic liquids are as toxic as [C 8 mim]Cl; each type of ionic liquid has a different toxicity. The factor most relevant to the toxicity of ionic liquids is the alkyl chain length of the cations. The longer the alkyl chain length of the cation, the more toxic the ionic liquids are.

Are artificial ionic liquids toxic?

Artificial ionic liquids are not necessarily toxic. Introducing an anionic moiety, the most polar functional group, at the end of a cationic alkyl chain, i.e., zwitterionization,79 can result in very low toxicity.44,80–84 While the approach would be the same as in Section 3-1, the effect would be highly powerful.

Are ionic liquids a viable alternative to organic solvents?

Novel less-toxic ILs are promising alternatives to mitigate negative impacts. Ionic liquids (ILs), characterized by their tunable miscibility, negligible vapor pressure, and wide electrochemical window, have emerged as a prevalent substitute for organic solvents in diverse environmental and industrial applications.