Biodegradable ionic liquids Part III. The first readily biodegradable ionic liquids

Abstract

Further research toward the discovery of biodegradable ionic liquids (ILs) is described herein. The biodegradability of the target ILs was evaluated using the ‘Closed Bottle’ and ‘CO₂ Headspace’ tests (OECD 301D and ISO 14593). This research has identified the first ILs which can be classified as ‘readily biodegradable’ under aerobic conditions.