Biodegradable ionic liquids : Part II. Effect of the anion and toxicology

Although ionic liquids are generally referred to in a ‘green’ context, little is known about their degradation in the environment. Part I of this series focused on the biodegradability of the commonly used dialkylimidazolium ionic liquids and the effect of the imidazolium cation on biodegradability. We now report the influence of the anion on biodegradability. Preliminary investigations into the toxicology of ionic liquids are also described.