Toxicity of two imidazolium ionic liquids, [bmim][BF4] and [omim][BF4], to standard aquatic test organisms: Role of acetone in the induced toxicity

Abstract The main goal of this study was to investigate the toxicity of the imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs), [bmim][BF 4 ] (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate) and [omim][BF 4 ] (1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate), in battery of standard aquatic toxicity test organisms. Specifically, exposure of the algae Scenedesmus rubescens , crustaceans Thamnocephalus platyurus and Artemia franciscana, rotifers Brachionus calyciflorus and Brachionus plicatilis and bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis to different concentrations of [bmim][BF 4 ], [omim][BF 4 ] and/or a binary mixture of [bmim][BF 4 ]–[omim][BF 4 ] (1:1) with or without acetone (carrier solvent), revealed that solvent can differentially mediate ILs’ toxic profile. Acetone's ability to differentially affect ILs' cation's alkyl chain length, as well as the hydrolysis of [BF 4 − ] anions was evident. Given that the toxic potency of the tested ILs seemed to be equal or even higher (in some cases) than those of conventional organic solvents, the present study revealed that the characterization of imidazolium-based ILs as “green solvents” should not be generalized, at least in case of their natural occurrence in mixtures with organic solvents, such as acetone.