Abstract
Ionic liquids (ILs) are known to be non-volatile and thus to have low potential for atmospheric contamination or intoxication of humans by inhalation. However ILs have the potential to contaminate soil and water as they might be water soluble and can be sorbed onto solids. The investigation of possible natural ways of reducing the concentration of ILs in the environment is of high importance, especially because the requirement for biodegradable chemicals increases, together with pressure for reduction of incineration and landfill waste. It was found that the upper concentration threshold for primary biodegradation of 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride is 0.2 mM. At higher concentrations the dehydrogenase activity of the cells dropped markedly, indicating that the IL inhibits cell activity. This concentration is in good agreement with the minimal inhibitory concentration of the same compound found for a series of bacteria and fungi by this research group. The sorption of 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride was found to be significant, and the sorption coefficient was determined to be 98.2 L kg-1.
Highlights
Ionic liquids (ILs) are a group of compounds usually composed of three exchangeable chemical moieties: a cationic head group, and head group’s organic substituent and an organic or inorganic anion
This concentration decrease was attributed to the sorption of the ionic liquid onto the sewage sludge flocs
The negative control experiments were conducted for all concentrations, and the decrease of the concentrations were found to be similar to corresponding test samples for high concentrations of IL (>0.2 mM)
Summary
Ionic liquids (ILs) are a group of compounds usually composed of three exchangeable chemical moieties: a cationic head group, and head group’s organic substituent and an organic or inorganic anion. These three elements can be altered, thereby resulting in different physicochemical properties and allowing us to tailor the molecule’s features. As a result of the focus on sustainable design, the environmental impact of ILs is often considered, including investigation of their biodegradation Due to their inherent toxicity they can significantly influence the performance of biological sewage sludge treatment systems
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