developmental toxicity of 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium bromide on Daphnia magna

• Published in: Environmental toxicology 2008-12, Vol.23 (6), p.736-744
• Main Authors: Luo, Yan-Rui, Li, Xiao-Yu, Chen, Xiao-Xiao, Zhang, Bang-Jun, Sun, Zhen-Jun, Wang, Jian-Ji
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium bromide; acute toxicology; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Applied ecology; aquatic ecosystems; Biological and medical sciences; Body Size - drug effects; Body Size - physiology; chronic toxicology; Daphnia - drug effects; Daphnia - growth & development; Daphnia - physiology; Daphnia magna; developmental toxicity; Ecosystem; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; growth; Imidazoles - metabolism; Imidazoles - toxicity; ionic liquids; Ionic Liquids - metabolism; Ionic Liquids - toxicity; reproduction; Reproduction - drug effects; Reproduction - physiology; Synecology; Time Factors; Toxicity Tests; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity
• ISSN: 1520-4081; 1522-7278
• DOI: 10.1002/tox.20382

The developmental toxicity of 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium bromide ([C₈mim]Br) on Daphnia magna was investigated. The 24 and 48 h LC₅₀ values for [C₈mim]Br in D. magna were 1.99 and 0.95 mg/L, respectively. A series of multigenerational toxicity tests were then used to explore [C₈mim]Br effects in D. magna. [C₈mim]Br significantly inhibited the body lengths of the F0 and F1 1st generations. After 21 days of exposure, [C₈mim]Br lowered the reproductive ability of the F0 and F1 1st generations. In F1 3rd generation, 21 days of [C₈mim]Br exposure prolonged the time to bear the first egg and the time to the first brood compared with the control, but the number of first-brood offspring and the number of broods produced by these animals were reduced. After the recovery period all the reproductive parameters returned to normal in F1 1st generation except for the number of broods. The dead neonates increased with prolonged exposure and increasing concentrations, and the dead neonates of the F1 3rd generation went far beyond that of the F1 1st and F0 generations. The intrinsic rate of natural increase (r) values of the three D. magna generations significantly decreased after exposure to higher concentrations of [C₈mim]Br compared with control groups. Collectively, these results suggest that [C₈mim]Br exerts a toxic effect on the development of D. magna. This study also highlights the importance of systematically evaluating the potential effects of aquatic ecosystems of ionic liquids that may be released into bodies of water.